The Legend of the Twilight Princess
by DragonRing
Summary: Faron Woods feel strange lately. Dangerous creatures start appearing among the shadows and an eerie darkness befalls the land. Is he the only one to feel the danger? A realistic novelization based on The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess
1. Prologue - Ordon Village

**Prologue – Ordon Village**

Ordon. If ever someone was looking for paradise, simple, carefree, peaceful, they would shout out aloud. ''I've found paradise!''

True it was. The traveller, be he merchant, musician, storyteller or simple adventurer, who stepped out of the vast forest of Faron Province and let his gaze wander around over the little blue rooftops, steaming chimneys and pumpkin patches, would call it paradise without a second thought. The eight little houses scattered around a burbling river of crystal water, a simple dirt path and small areas of high grass, and lovingly built out of the finest wood found in the neighbouring forest or even carved out of one of the immense trees that grew sky high, gave the foreign viewer an image of a perfect little community living like a big family through the seasons.

Would he start to walk along the road, following and crossing the river with on a little, nicely simple wood bridge, he would halt, near the far end of the path, next to a bigger, wealthier looking house but still matching the appearance of the rest of town, with a grey-blue tiled roof and a long porch guiding the visitor to a two-doored entrance. But would he continue his ascent up the village he would arrive at a gate, constructed only by four huge boughs meeting in the middle a good distance over his head, with a set of proud horns at the knot. Further up the path, a faint bleating would ring in his ears, the scent of grass, straw, horse and goat would ensnare in his nostrils which already had let some of the more unaccustomed and finer folk from Castle Town crinkle their nose in dislike.

But the simple farmers and herders of Ordon Village had never cared. They greeted every newcomer and visitor with a warmth in their heart that would let every traveller's ill thoughts evaporate in a matter of seconds, replaced by a huge smile and a mug of honey ale in his palm while the stout mayor of the small community guided him into his big house and pushed him down jovially on a wooden chair, listening to whatever news and stories the foreigner had to offer him.

The leader would then guide his guest through the village, presenting him his fellow denizens and showing him around gleefully. This is what he would tell every arriving visitor with his booming, bellied voice: ''Ah, my dear fellow, how nice it is to have you with us. It's so saddening rare that we see a new face around, I sometimes forget how to speak to strangers, hah! Ah, may I present you the blacksmith of our humble town, Rusl, and his beautiful wife Uli. Rusl, how was the hunt? You see, my friend, we had a tough winter last year and ran out of meat far too quickly, so this year we have to go hunting more often for more stock. But the harvest promises to be good this autumn, so we shouldn't be in much trouble. Here you see Jaggle's watermill, where we grind our corn from the field. If you're looking for our infamous Ordon goat cheese, we should pay Jaggle's wife Pergie a visit, I dare say she did a good job with the goats' milk this year. Oh, and remind me to give you a jar of Hanch's fine honey, his bees were very enthusiastic this spring. His wife Sera owns the shop right here, if you're looking for food for your journey back. Oh, and Fado here, he's the master goatherd …''

And so on. Bo had always had the habit of talking unendingly until sundown, if ever someone paid him heed. His daughter Ilia, a happy girl of fifteen, mostly stepped in after a while, proposing the traveller a bed and something warm to eat. The village was always happy to offer someone shelter for the night and a good meal, obtaining in return stories, music or trading goods from the lands beyond the forest. Ordon's people, even if fond of visitors and happy to buy merchandise not found on the land, lived independently from Hyrule, the bigger country in the north with cities and lakes and mountains. And happily so. They could sustain all their needs with what the earth gave them, with goat breeding, hunting, farming and collecting, but was there something they didn't have, like ore for forging or wool for clothing, merchants like our fellow visitor were happy to be engaged in vivid trading and haggling over at Mayor Bo's big, grey-blue roofed house with its double doors and inviting porch.

Had anyone with a little farming experience stepped into the village and had looked at the houses, he would immediately have noticed the lone stable at Gertie's, the weaver of the town in her mid-fifties, and her old, good-hearted husband Harold's house, a farmer since he could walk. The only four-legged farming help the village owned were the three donkeys that lived there, in the well-cleaned stable, their happy donkey-life filled with plough-pulling, transporting of wheat sacks, wood and vegetables, and loving petting from the hamlet's children.

Four they were, two only children and two brothers. Beth, about twelve now, Talo, eleven and stormy as a boy could be, and his brother Malo, a full-cheeked six-year-old, sarcastic brat. The fourth was the shy, blonde haired Colin, son of Rusl the blacksmith, who was silent and not very sure of himself. A fifth child was on the way, in beautiful Uli's womb and awaited in the following late spring with impatience and pleasure from the entire village.

The remaining inhabitants living their simple life as farmers were Moe and his sister Kila, son and daughter of Harold and Gertie, moved out simply because their parents didn't have enough room in their cosy little home any more. Both in their thirties, they were the backbone of farming in Ordon, happy, working fellows who did most of the labour on the big field behind the ranch when the other denizens were busy with all the other work sources in the town. Milking the goats, harvesting pumpkins, apples, pears and peaches from the patches and fruit trees, carrots, salads and onions from their own garden next to each house, hunting and butchering a goat or cucco whenever one was old enough. The field was the main source of potatoes, wheat, lentils and hay for the donkeys which the two siblings sowed and then reaped together each autumn. The big barn on the ranch which served as stable for the goats was also a storehouse for all the goods the assiduous farmers collected over the year. Mayor Bo's job was then to make sure each household had everything it needed, distributing the crop out to all his inhabitants equally and in response to every family's needs. Since the town counted just eighteen tenants, young and old, there had never been any problems with corruption or burglary. The townsfolk were a vigilant, clever, happy group of people who helped and loved each other like family members. That was why Mayor Bo was so proud of his serene little village of Ordon.

''My dear mayor, you are indeed a lucky man with all these intelligent and hard-working people around you. Yet I have a little question to ask, out of simple curiosity.'' The merchant scratched himself behind his long, pointy ear in embarrassment. It was this elegant pair of hearers that let him stand out from the rest of the villagers with their plain, round ears. He was a Hylian, not a human like the townsfolk, a young trader coming from the lands beyond Ordon and the woods of Faron. It was a good three days' march from the big city of Castle Town to the reclusive Provinces of the South, and it was this fact that let travellers become so rare in Ordon.

''Since my work is based mostly on that, I dare say that I am fairly chummy with numbers. You said there were eighteen citizens, oh pardon me, villagers! in this town, yet as you led me around, I counted only seventeen. Is there someone I haven't met yet?''

Bo didn't need to hear the tradesman's sentence to the end that a smile crossed his full lips. ''You impress me, you counted fairly right. Yes, I think there is someone we have indeed not met, for I haven't seen him around here myself today. Oh, Rusl, do you have any idea where Link is?''

000


	2. Chapter 1 - The Lone Hylian

**Chapter 1 – The Lone Hylian**

There it was, nibbling peacefully at the few blades of grass under the big beech. It was a beautiful one, with nicely reddish fur and small antlers on the head, a little thinner than he liked, but nice altogether. The hooves were clean and glistened ever so slightly from an otherworldly light, meaning it had crossed the spirit spring briefly before heading back into the woods.

He was crouching about twenty yards away, with the wind blowing lightly into his smooth, beard-less face to cover his scent. It was a good place, nearly too good. Hopefully the deer didn't move too quickly, or heard his belly growl in hunger. He licked his lips, brushing a stray strand of sandy coloured hair behind his long, pointy ears. His piercing blue eyes scanned the area, taking in every tree, every bush that could obstruct him. The path was clear, nothing moved except the scrunching teeth of the deer chewing the grass contently and his own heart beating quicker.

Slowly and carefully, he shifted a little on his legs to get into a better position. His right hand was clutching the longbow tightly, left one reaching back to his quiver noiselessly to retrieve a long arrow. The point had been freshly sharpened earlier on that morning, gleaming in the autumn sun like a polished knife. He let the shaft glide into position between the wood of his bow and his middle finger, hooking it into the string. His eyes never left the deer during the whole, slow motion process, his arrow eventually sliding into place perfectly even. His left arm folded back softly, hand clutching both string and end of the arrow, right hand helping in bending the wood to build up tension. His heartbeat quickened with every second he took to take aim, the string creaking against his tight fist.

The deer's head suddenly jerked up, grass still hanging from its mouth. It looked back, standing motionlessly between the trees. Its watchful eyes scanned the area around it, soon looking right at him. He didn't move, didn't breathe, just crouched there with his arms starting to ache from the tension in his bow. But he waited, unblinking, until the animal resumed its grassy meal, unaware of the Hylian hunter pulling just a little more on his string until the tension was enough.

The shot was perfect. The moment he let his arrow fly, a bird had chirped in the trees above, covering the soaring sound of wood, metal and feather with its cheerful, bleeping voice. The deer had no chance to react ere the lethal weapon struck the animal's chest from the side, piercing the heart clean through. It was dead before it even hit the ground.

Closing his eyes, Link stood up, stretching his taut muscles. He hated it when he had to take a life from Ordona's sacred forest, but winter was on its way, the village needed the meat, and the wood animals would not find enough to eat for all of them, if you counted the ones born that spring. Many of them would starve anyhow, so if their death could keep others alive, then he was sure the guardian spirit Ordona would give his actions her blessing.

He went over to the fallen deer and crouched down, sliding the arrow out of its flesh. ''Forgive me, my friend.'' he said in his deep, low voice, stroking gently over its still warm neck. ''Your death will not be in vain, I promise.''

The bird on the branch had stopped singing, looking at the scene down below with interest. Link, who sat down on the grass next to his prey, whistled once and looked at it, holding out a finger. Without hesitation the bird soared down and landed on it, shuffling its feathers and picking at his skin. ''Hello you.'' Link said softly. ''Haven't seen you in a while. How's the forest going?''

The bird looked at him with big, black buttons, allowing Link to pet it gently under the throat. The youth smiled as he caressed the bird, absent-mindedly letting it climb up on his shoulder. He scanned the ground for something to offer it, and found a little hazelnut cracked open next to his bow. The bird chirped once and snapped it from his fingers, holding it securely in its beak. ''There, for you.'' Link said, grinning. '' There'll be more of them at my house, if ever you get hungry. Have a safe winter, and visit me often.''

The bird let out a strained bleep because of the big nut in its beak, then took its flight. Link looked at it as it flew away, standing up again to strap his longbow safely around his shoulder. Then he whistled twice, this time a three-noted song that echoed in the trees and lost itself soon between the leaves and tree trunks. While he worked to tie the deer's legs together with a hemp rope, a loud, powerful neigh resounded in response to his signal, followed by the stomping of big hooves on the forest earth and dry leaves of autumn.

Link just straightened when a horse came into view, but not a simple riding horse with barely enough space and strength to hold an adult. This was a huge beast, fur in a striking red with a silver white mane waving in the wind of its stormy arrival. Hooves as big as eating bowls, head longer than an arm, it skidded to a halt right in front of Link and reared up, throwing its legs about dangerously above the much smaller youth's head.

Link did not even flinch. As soon as the horse landed down again, he stretched out a hand to patter its mane, smiling. ''No, Epona. I'm not in danger. Will you stop being so fidgety and help me get this fellow back to Ordon?''

The mare immediately settled down, nudging her master lovingly. Link let his fingers glide through her mane once before kneeling down and heaving the deer's body on her back. He then put a foot in the stirrup of her enormous saddle and swung his own body gracefully onto her. The reins were already in place over her neck, ready to be taken, but he let them hang there, instead leaning over the pommel and whispering in her ear. ''Let's take the long way back, shall we? You lead the way.''

Animal and rider then sat off at a leisurely pace, Link remaining laid on her neckline to take a little nap. His mare knew the way back to Ordon like the back of her hoof, and since it had been a long day for both of them, he didn't want to press her forward needlessly. The sun was already slowly making its way down towards the west, turning redder with every passing minute they strode coolly along the path. He had noticed over the modest seventeen years he was wandering this earth now that, in autumn, the sunset was always redder than usual, nearly bloody. It matched the trees with their vivid colours perfectly, letting the canopy of leaves shine and gleam like stained glass in a church. The only time he had seen one of those was in a book in Rusl's library, and it had let him marvel at the breathtaking colours even the painted image had sent back to his young eyes. How he wished he could one day see a church for real, with the autumn sun shining through the glass and bathing the entire building in ethereal light.

For about half an hour, they rode along the way back to Ordon, the dead deer swaying gently along with Epona's movements. Link was soon stirred out of his light sleep by a high-pitched scream in front of them, and had the mare under him shifted uncomfortably, he'd have shot up in alarm and raced to whoever was in danger. But she kept on walking calmly, so he just straightened and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

''Link! Link! You're back!'' came a squealing, excited voice. ''There's a merchant and some musicians in Ordon and they want to play us something this evening!'' Link smiled as Talo came up to him, followed closely by Beth. ''They say they come from Castle Town!'' the girl lionized, looking up dreamily. ''And they want to play music and tell us stories.''

''Sounds nice.'' Link answered as he slid off of Epona. He would have loved to listen to the travellers' stories, but he hadn't slept well the last nights and wanted to go to bed early this evening.

''Shoo, children! Give the lad some space!'' the loud, friendly voice of the blacksmith resounded from the path leading down to the village. Link was the only resident in town not living right in the centre. His tree-house carved into the trunk of a huge, still living tree with a ladder leading to his door, was set apart from the rest of town by a hill through which the path was leading into main Ordon. No one had ever really understood why the boy had chosen this tree so reclusive from the village, but everyone respected his choice. After all, it had not been easy for the lad, and what he loved above all was solitude, just being alone, undisturbed, to think.

''Sorry, Rusl!'' Talo called and ran off again with Beth in tow. The smith smiled at them before stepping up to Link. ''Have you found it then? What a nice shot!''

''Thanks.'' Link said as he unloaded the deer from his grazing mare. ''It took some time to find its track, but apparently it got hungry and stopped under the big beech. It was a good opportunity.''

The older man noticed the weary look on Link's face. ''Are you all right, Link?'' The youth nodded immediately and wiped his tired expression away. ''Yeah, no worries. I'm just a bit tired, is all. I haven't slept well these past nights.''

''You're not worrying about the winter, now do you?'' Rusl lifted a knowing brow. ''Oh no, not at all. I think I just overworked myself a little these days. Don't worry, Rusl, I'm all right.'' Link cast him a bright smile, which the smith could only return. ''Okay. Will you come to hear the stories tonight? The merchant said he might even have some books about Hyrule with him.''

Link's eyes lit up immediately, making Rusl laugh. The youth had always been fond of books, especially about the land beyond the dense forest. Hyrule was a mystery to him altogether, and whenever he could lay his hands on a history book about Hyrule and her story, he would be the happiest man on Din's holy earth. ''Shall I tell them you are coming this evening, then?'' Rusl smiled. Link backed down with a sigh. ''All right. But let me eat something first, I'm starving. And could you take the deer to Harold, it should be stored as quickly as possible.''

Nodding, Rusl took the dead game on his broad shoulder and turned around just to grin at Link one final time. ''You did a great job today, Link. Mayor Bo will be pleased.''

Smiling, Link turned around to tend to his mare, as hungry as himself. Right next to his modest home, he had built a small stable for her, just big enough for her to stand and lie in it. He had received his share of fresh hay from the field a few days ago and got to work filling Epona's empty trough. It wasn't much, but it should bring her through the winter. His friend was a tough one, never bothered by the harsh snows and blizzards storming through their village sometimes. She would be all right.

His own belly growled as he saw his mare dig greedily into her meal, and he quickly made his way up his ladder after having patted her one last time.

The fire he had set that morning in his hearth was nothing but a glimmer of burnt ash now. The circular house was pleasantly warm, a nice contrast to the cooling weather outside. A pot of stew was hooked over the fireplace, still warm. Link stepped across his scarcely furnished home to take a plate from the shelf to his left. As he leaned over to take a grateful spoon full of stew, his head banged lightly against all his big knives hanging over the hearth, as always, causing them to clatter and swing. He didn't mind as he sat down at is table with a sigh, digging into the warm meal happily.

While he ate, he let his look wander around the walls of his carved house. The fireplace, built like a hut with clay and bricks so that his tree would not catch fire, and aerated with a crooked chimney leading outside, stood against the far wall of his home, flanked to the left by the crockery shelf, sink, oven and firewood stock, to the right by the messy table at which he sat. Last night, due to his inability of sleeping, he had rummaged through the big bookshelf to the right of the table for a book that could, with a bit of luck, settle down his agitated nerves. A lone volume lay further to the right next to the door and had been sent sliding back the moment he had entered. The massive, wooden door, whenever he opened it too harshly, always left marks on the long chest against which it banged as we continue our round to the right, where a pitchfork was attached to the wall right over a spare saddle and two buckets stored away on top of the long drawer. A cupboard with a non-flowering plant on top of it stood right next to a door-less frame which led to Link's basement, on its turn reached by a long ladder leading down under the earth. The doorframe's end marked the beginning of the crockery shelf, sink and oven, and we are back to the hearth and Link quenching his hunger at the table.

It was soon getting dark outside, the birds eventually relapsing to silence to let the last crickets of autumn take over. Link's head was hitting the book he was reading several times and soon stayed lying there. His belly nicely full with stew, it seemed he would likely sleep better that night. A little burning sensation on his left hand indicated that no, it was not a dream and that no, it would not leave him be.

Annoyed, he bolted up and scratched at the grey mark that throned there, on the back of his hand. It looked a little like a birthmark, but its shape was too perfect to be there by accident. Three triangles, two at the bottom and one towering over the others, were aligned so that, together, they formed a bigger, perfect triangle. It bent a little with the curve of his hand, and lately it had started to ache a little from time to time. Parallel to that, his nights were filled with nightmares to wake up sweating and screaming. Sometimes dark and ominous, sometimes just scary and bloody, they haunted his precious hours of sleep for at least a week now. Maybe he should ask Uli for a sleeping draught or something to ease the pain on his hand.

His home had just one window, far up near the treetop where his squashy mattress lay on a wooden platform. A ladder went down to a second ledge where another bookshelf gave also storage to his spare clothes. As he heard a strange noise coming from the open window, he frowned and stepped up the two ladders to gaze out into the night.

The hill blocked his view on the main village, but from his position he could hear chatter and laughter sweeping up to his pointy ears. The musicians were apparently getting ready for the evening, for he could make a pipe out of the other sounds coming from the town.

He quickly raced his ladders back down and threw on a light cloak to protect him from the chilly air outside. If he didn't hurry, he would be late. Damn those sleepless nights!

Epona snorted at him from under her shelter as he scrambled down the ladder. He smiled as she banged one hoof against the stable door; they were there purely for her safety, so that no ill-minded creature came to disturb her sleep. Of course she would never, ever, leave him or run off in some stupid freedom desire that could likely cost her her life. They were soul-partners, there for each other and taking care of one another. So of course, she would accompany him to have some fun as well.

As Link and Epona crossed the entrance gate to Ordon, a big camp fire was burning high into the sky near Jaggle's mill, all the villagers settled down on tree trunks and rocks, laughing at one of the musicians tuning his guitar. He apparently had difficulties with the middle string, or at least made them think he had, for every time he struck his instrument the sound coming out was atrociously wrong, making all the Ordonians laugh heartily.

''Link!'' Rusl called as he stood up and greeted him with a grin. ''We already thought you wouldn't come.''

''Sorry if I'm late, I think I dozed off.'' he apologized, tapping Epona's rear to make her join the villagers. She was as much a part of Ordon as the rest of them. ''Don't worry, we wouldn't have started without you. Ilia already volunteered to go and get you if you shouldn't come.'' the blacksmith laughed. Link cast a cheeky look to his lifelong childhood friend, who grinned back with a wave.

''Oh! Oh, I got it!'' the musician with the guitar suddenly exclaimed, striking it and earning a strong chord from the wooden thing. ''Folks, we can begin!''

He sat down between the villagers and the fire, already playing a calm tune with his instrument. His melodious voice followed the song as he spoke to them all. ''My dear friends! I must thank you all for your kind hospitality that my partners and my humble self are honoured with, so you shall hear, in return, our wooden mates play you the songs that resound in all of Hyrule, from the waters of Lake Hylia to the vast Desert in the west, reverberating against the fiery walls of Death Mountain to come back to you, my dear friends, into your ears. May you sing, may you dance, we'll be happy to accompany you!''

Link was just sitting down when the guitar started to play a fast rhythm, its musician glancing at his partners and shaking his head in the same pattern than his hand striking the strings. Then, the man with the pipes stepped it, followed by the violin and, at last, the small flute. Gertie and Harold got up with a little effort, but quicker than one would put it past them, and started happily to dance. Gertie yipped as her husband slapped her rear for fun, earning loud laughter from all the others. Jaggle and Pergie joined them along with Moe and Kila, dancing joyfully around the big fire.

Link sat next to Rusl, looking at the dancers with a smile on his face. The smith beside him clapped his hands and howled whenever the musicians sped up and let the dancing Ordonians do the same. Soon, everyone was sweating profusely in effort and pleasure.

The evening passed quickly from dusk to dark, and after the fourth rapid song the Ordonians plopped down tiredly on their seats again, rocking and swaying along with the players as they intoned a quiet, slow tune.

Link sat leaning against Epona who had lowered herself down for a nap, him nipping occasionally at his mug of goat milk. He had pulled the hood of his cloak over his head for protection from the rising cold and had wrapped himself into the fur, gazing at the fire dreamily and listening to the calm music. A tap on his shoulder let him look up quickly to find Bo sitting down next to him, a smaller, thin man in tow.

''Link, may I present you Valhansen, the merchant from Castle Town.'' the mayor said with a huge smile on his face. The traveller stretched out his hand in greeting, and Link took it as he returned his smile. ''Nice to meet you.''

''My pleasure, master Link. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance.'' he said, shaking Link's hand vigorously. ''The honourable mayor here told me you had a special interest in books. You know, I own a bookshop in Castle Town and I'm currently visiting all the villages in the south, for advertising, you see. Do you want to take a look at what I've got in stock?''

''Yes, that would be very nice.'' Link said with a smile, turning to him as Valhansen retrieved his big bag from his shoulder.

''So, let's have a look ...'' he said, kneeling down on the ground as he pulled out book after book from the satchel. Link took one of them cautiously in his hands. Blue leather with golden letters imprinted on top shone back at him, saying _Races of Hyrule – Their Culture and their Stories_.

Another brown one read _The Ikana Legend – How a Prosperous Kingdom Turned Evil_. Link looked at it with narrowed eyes, opening it in silent interest. A grotesque portrait of a skeleton with blue, red and white clothes smiled crookedly at him, quickly letting him bang the book shut again in fright.

''No, I wouldn't recommend you that one.'' Valhansen said, eyeing the volume. ''Dark story, that is, the legend of Ikana. Haunted by civil war and corruption, only worth reading if you have a heart as hard as stone. No, this one here you might enjoy more.'' He handed him a small yellow one with a set of the tell-tale circular goat horns painted on it, and Link's eyes went big. ''There is a book about goat herding?'' he asked incredulously.

''Yes of course!'' the book owner laughed. ''And not only about herding. Where the race comes from, what its characteristics are, how to treat it right and what to do with all the precious goods you can obtain from them. Did you know there are one hundred and sixteen different recipes for meals made with goat milk?''

Link grinned as he skipped through the book, marvelling at the beautiful pictures of his beloved Ordon goats. He was a boy who had always been fond of animals, owning a gentle hand for them that no other person in the village could muster. Sometimes it even looked as if he talked with them.

As he set the book aside again, his look fell on another volume laying a little beneath the Ikana Legend. Green it was, looking old and used with what looked like a triangle imprinted on top of it. As Link pushed the other book aside, his blue eyes crossed a beautiful set of wings splaying out around the triangle, which he noticed was not only one, but three golden triangles set together to form the big, perfect one. He felt his pulse quickening as he slowly reached for it, barely noticing Valhansen talking merrily about the goat book in the background.

His thumb grazed the crest carefully, brushing over the triangles. He felt as if the symbol on his hand began to warm up again, but not painfully this time, a fact which he greeted with confusion. However, the little green book had caught his full attention, so he didn't really take in the reaction his curious birthmark was displaying at that moment.

_Hyrule Historia – The History of a Golden Kingdom_. That's what stood right beneath the flying crest.

Next to him, the book seller had noticed Link's attention drift away from his talk, and he watched the Ordonian stroke the cover of the green quire as if lost in thoughts. ''Ah, that's a curious one. _Hyrule Historia – The History of a Golden Kingdom _it says. But it's all written in Ancient Hylian so I'm afraid you won't be able to learn much. That tongue is long not spoken any more, only read by scholars and historians who took the pains of learning it.''

Link looked up, trying with all his might to suppress the smirk wanting to cross his lips. Ancient Hylian, he said? ''How much?''

''What?'' Valhansen asked, now deeply confused. ''How much for this one?'' Link repeated, indicating the old book.

The traveller looked between the volume and Link's determined expression. ''Well, since it's an antique much used and mostly impossible to read, I'd say about forty rupees. But for you, my friend, I'll make a special prize. Twenty-five rupees in cash, if you have them, and it's yours.''

Link gulped. Twenty-five rupees was a big sum for him, being a modest ranch-hand with only his share of crop he helped to harvest all year. The few rupees he'd found in the forest (for greedy travellers often lost them from pouches too full) were barely enough to fill a small chest in his basement. And if he had to spare half of his economies for a hand-me-down book, where would he go if one day he really got the chance to visit Hyrule and see her with his own eyes? He would have barely enough money for food!

Yet there was this little book, lying comfortably in his palms and letting itself caress by his thumbs. How he longed to learn more about his home town than what Rusl's few books could teach him! If this really was an antique, it must have lain in the hands of hundreds of Hylians already, each adding their little something to its yellowed pages and thus form a collection of stories worth, for him, more than all the rupees in the world. ''Done.'' he said, shaking the merchant's hand happily. ''If you just wait here, I'll go get my wallet.''

''Oh, dear friend, you don't have to pay me right now! No need to rush, there's plenty of time.'' Valhansen laughed, pushing the book back as Link handed it to him. ''I know a beguiler when I see one, and you are definitely not, master Link. Just tell me one thing.'' Here he leaned forward, cocking one of his ears as if listening to a secret. ''How come that a young man such as you, from this small village, shows so much interest in this kind of book? A book which not even I can read?''

Link smiled. ''Maybe I don't look like it, but I _can_ read Ancient Hylian.''

Valhansen's chin hit the ground. ''You can? Are you serious?'' Link nodded, still grinning. ''You see, life on the land is a lot of work, but in winter there isn't much to do. Since I live alone, I have a lot of time to pass and so, out of interest and a little boredom, I must confess, I just began to read one of these old books Rusl had in his library.''

''But who taught you to read Ancient Hylian?''

''I'm self-taught.'' Link answered plainly. ''Deciphered it all by myself.'' The merchant sat there for a little while without moving, looking at the old volume laying on the ground. ''You impress me, my friend. Really. Some of the scholars I know take ages to properly read that tongue.''

Link took his book in his hand and eyed it thoughtfully. ''Well, I don't know either how I learned it that quickly, it just sort of happened. Maybe that's because I'm Hylian as well … ''

The book-seller's head shot up. ''I beg your pardon?'' Link remembered that he had still his hood on, so he lowered it to reveal his elegant, long pointy ears. A set of little blue earrings pierced his lobes and dangled lightly with his every move, a little gift he had received from a jeweller passing through, when he was smaller.

''Oh, what a surprise! Now that explains everything!'' Valhansen laughed, causing Link to cock his head. ''What do you mean?''

''Well, your looks, the smooth, flawless shape and colour of your face, and those sparkling eyes of yours. Hylians, you must know, are more tender in their looks than humans, and not as roughly built. I wondered how it could possibly be that a human looked so … well, so Hylian as you do. What a pleasant surprise indeed. But tell me, master Link, how did you end up in a small village like this?''

At that, Link swallowed uncomfortably, letting his eyes dart around in search for the best explanation. He knew that this question would come, but that it'd be posed like this, as if he had lived elsewhere before, he had not expected. ''I … I've always lived here. I've never known another life than the one here in Ordon.''

With a sigh of relief, he saw Bo turn around from his conversation with Rusl and hurry to his aid. ''Valhansen, my friend! Come and have a mug of ale with us!'' Before the merchant could muster another question to Link, he was already grabbed by the sleeve and dragged to a table a ways off across the fire. Link smiled to himself and sent a quiet thanks to the mayor. His childhood was not a topic he liked to talk about, especially not to strangers.

The musicians had taken a little break and were now getting ready to resume their show. ''For you now, my friends, let us begin softly. Freegan here will play the Hylian flute this time, so let yourself be enchanted by her beautiful sound.'' At the words 'Hylian flute', Link's head jerked up.

The man which the guitarist had just named stood up, holding in his hands a dark flute and placed it to his lips, holding it to the right of his head. Link's heart itched in pleasure; he loved that instrument!

''Piper, make ready for later!'' A man holding a strange device sat down on a trunk and placed it in his lap. A strap of red leather was fixed to his right elbow and connected him to the instrument, a tube with holes, like a flute, resting in his hands. As he nodded to their leader, the latter announced softly. ''We play for you, fellow villagers … _Autumn Child_.''

And the guitar was off. A quiet tune, soft and beautiful, rang out of the strings he picked with the point of his fingers, so quickly yet playing so calm a sound that Link could not comprehend how this was possible. Everyone around the fire was silent, listening and rocking along to the slow rhythm yet quick notes as the guitar led them along. Two times it played a simple melody which could be discerned out of the rest of jingling, in minor and giving it a mysterious, nearly sad touch.

Link was already lost in thoughts as he listened to the guitar with blank eyes, but as his favourite instrument, the Hylian flute, joined in and sang in choir with the strings the melody played before, he was submerged completely by a flow of images, thoughts, dreams and feelings. His mind rocked along with the song, led by the notes so soft and beautiful, until he found himself in a forest, with the autumn sun tainting the sky in a bright red.

_A child laid there, on a tree trunk, wrapped in a white blanket that barely protected it from the cold. The baby was shivering, too weak to cry, barely clutching to the life that had been given to it a few hours earlier. The spirit of the forest cried, a lament unheard by human hearers yet faintly echoing in the tiny, pointed ears of the newborn. _

_Then, a man arrived at the spring, bow in hand. He was still fairly young, around twenty perhaps, with the traces of a beard already forming at his chin. He saw the bundle, ran over to it, and took it in his strong arms. _

_In the village, his fiancée waited for him with dread on her features. Had her soon-to-be husband found enough game to bring them through the winter?_

_A knock on the door let her turn around, and in came her sweetheart with no dead rabbit or partridge, but a bundle wrapped around the smallest of child she had ever seen. As she uncovered it carefully, a small piece of parchment slid out of the cloth, with something written on it. Her lover nodded, indicating the scrap of paper, and they both hugged the baby closely. _

_Time passed, and the little boy grew up under the protection of his surrogate parents. He was quiet, clever and extremely curious, always asking his father about the forest and the land beyond. _

_When he was seven, another child came into his life. His parents treated the newborn differently, allowing him to call them 'mom' and 'dad'. The foundling had never had that privilege, and he always wondered why but wasn't allowed to ask._

_Five years passed too quickly, and a storm formed inside the little boy. When his 'parents' at last told him, much too late, he was broken. He was angry. _He clenched his fists as the melody got stern. The piper had joined in, humming a single minor note with his instrument as the violin accompanied the flute.

_He ran away. There was this tree just outside Ordon that listened to him whenever he climbed into it. This was where he wanted to stay._

The guitar changed the chord again, rendering the tune more hopeful.

_About half a year the building lasted. His saviour parents and his little brother helped him where they could, carving the foundations of his new life into the huge, thick tree. This is where he wanted to stay, alone as he was, never knowing the truth of his origins. _

_One day, he had found that little scrap of paper, wrapped in the cloth so dear to him that he kept it locked in his little rupee chest. And on it was the only thing his true parents had ever left him; _

_a name. _

_Link_

Suddenly the pipes, loud and squeaky, tore him out of his memories. They had intoned a quicker tune, more powerful and entertaining, letting the villagers around him howl and stand up to dance along. Ilia saw him, sitting there and looking dazed, and quickly grabbed his hands to pull him with her to the other dancing people. Link loved it when she understood him. She was the one who cared about him the most, next to Epona perhaps. He grinned as he danced with her. He loved it when she laughed.

000


	3. Chapter 2 - A Feeling of Eeriness

**Chapter 2 – A Feeling of Eeriness**

The forest was not right, Link thought. Above his head, a magpie cackled mischievously. The forest was not right. Under his foot, the remaining leaves of autumn decayed slowly away to join their trees once more, turning into fresh nourishment. The forest was not right. It seemed so silent, so … devoid of life. It was definitely not right.

''You're quiet, Link.'' the deep voice of Rusl echoed from behind a tree where he was busy collecting wood from the ground. ''Do you feel ill again?''

He had not been feeling well these last days. Again. It was silly to say so, but it seemed as if the forest felt poorly too.

''I don't know, I think that something is wrong with the forest.'' The blacksmith came forth with his arms full of wooden sticks and boughs, bending a little under the weight. ''What … uh, makes you think that?'' With a huff he threw the wood back on the ground, right next to Link who was busy tying more of them together. Epona stood waiting at a little distance, silent as well.

As Link finished with his bundle, he stood up. ''I don't know. It's very quiet for spring.''

''The winter is just over, Nature is still asleep.'' Rusl assured with a smile. ''Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with the forest. Can you tie these together as well, please? I'll just go and check my trap.''

Even if spring had just started, Link felt as if the wintry numbness of the trees, plants and animals had not left. Maybe he was just suffering the long absence of fresh sunlight for too long now, or he was just paranoid. But spring like he knew it, especially in its early days, usually felt like a relief when it came, like the intake of a deep breath of life the forest took as the time came for it to bloom anew. This inhale he had not felt, even though it was greatly time. For him it was as if the woods mourned something, or someone, at least that was what he would have called the strange behaviour of his beloved trees and animals. Not one of the little fellows had greeted him that spring, a fact which he felt sad about. He felt more alone than ever.

''Epona.'' he said and made a quick move with his hand. Immediately the horse let herself plummet down to the moist earth, her back now reaching to his chest. Lost in thoughts with a light frown stuck on his forehead, Link worked to fasten the four big bundles to her big saddle. Quicker than he liked, they were safely attached to its leather. Now he would have nothing else to do than wait for Rusl to come back. With a deep sigh, he lowered himself at Epona's belly, leaning against her. She turned her head towards him and nudged his cheek. He nudged back with a smile.

''Yeah, I love you too, girl.'' he said, causing her to snort.

A soft ringing sound let her twitch in fright, but Link merely glanced at his left hand gloomily, where the sound came from. The strangest of things had happened to him a few nights ago as he was again tossing and turning in his sleep loaded with nightmares. When he had bolted awake, soaked in sweat, a little light had greeted his still sleepy eyes and had caused him to tumble down his bed painfully. The curious mark on his hand – he had learned from that little history book he had bought from the merchant that the shape was named a triforce – had been glowing with a golden light, warm and brightly, as if his own skin was on fire. The strange thing was, it didn't hurt, just stung a bit perhaps. He had been so perplexed that for the rest of the night he couldn't close an eye, instead searching fiercely in that green volume for a clue to all this mess.

He had found none, and the restless nights started anew. That light coming from his symbol sometimes just started to shine when he was halfway off into dreams, driving him out of his restful unconsciousness with an angry grunt annoyingly. So as it cried out for him now, he did not even bother to look at it any longer.

Epona sniffed at his hand curiously, her soft whiskers making him laugh. ''You're tickling, Epona.'' he chuckled.

Soon enough, the golden sign disappeared once more, leaving behind only the grey print on his hand. Link looked around, tried to hear some birds sing, but no sound except the chilly wind stirring the bare branches above his head rang in his ears. There _was _something amiss in Faron Woods, whatever his surrogate father said. He just knew it. But he didn't know why.

His look halted on the ground in front of him, at the foot of a tree. There seemed to be like a hollow in the earth, a footprint from an animal he presumed. Stirred by this thought that maybe a few had passed by anyway despite the eerie darkness that had befallen the forest, he stood up, dusted himself off, and walked over to the tree. Epona stood up as well but turned her head as other steps approached through the coppice. Link didn't turn to see the smith return empty-handed, his attention was solely fixed on his find.

''There was nothing in it. We'll have to live another few days from oat soup and dried meat I'm afraid. Link, what are you doing?''

The youth stood up, looking at him while pointing towards the ground. ''Have you ever seen such a footprint before? I certainly did not.'' His voice sounded grave. Rusl frowned as he bend down to have a look. Link was an expert when it came to animal footprints, and the tone in his last reply immediately drove him to alertness.

Scratching his beard, he frowned as he eyed the print. The hollow was small, long in shape and quite thin, resembling slightly a child's foot clad in leather shoes, but … for this it was too deep. Children this size of feet weighed normally about forty pounds, but this one would at least weigh double. If the kid had been very fat – which didn't really happen among the wood folk – the shoe size would have been bigger as well, according to a larger foot. But this one seemed to weigh much but possessing small feet. It could not be a monkey either, Link would have recognized it immediately. And the lad was too much accustomed to footprints and following them to be mistaken now.

''That's very odd.'' he answered. ''It's not an animal's, but its not human either. Could it be something dangerous?''

Link shrugged as he crouched down again, trying to find his way through the thick bushes growing around the tree. ''Let's find out.'' he said, ducking under the bush and disappearing from Rusl's sight. The smith nodded more to himself than to any one in particular – which he did quite often – and followed after his adoptive son. Epona would stay on the path but remain in earshot should they need her assistance. Her hooves were strong enough to crush a foe's skull and kill, if it were necessary and Link commanded it.

The Hylian had his eyes fixed on the muddy earth, tracking down the strange creature that had passed by. The prints were set in short distances between each other, indicating that the thing had rather short legs and moved quite quickly. At one point, the marks doubled and ran over themselves as if it had suddenly changed its mind on the destination and was not sure whether to continue or turn back.

Then the trace sat off again, straight forward through the thicket. ''How fresh is it?'' Rusl called from behind Link.

''I'd say about a day old. It passed by probably yesterday afternoon, when the sun had warmed up the mud here. The night frost has preserved the prints quite well, even under the leaves.'' Link was so focused on the track that he nearly ran into a tree where the trace seemed to halt briefly before continuing.

Confused, he stepped back, looking up into the tree's crown. It was a spruce, a rare find in Faron Woods since most of these trees were found further down to the south, in Ordona. As Link saw nothing but the tall, long trunk scarcely needled, Rusl came up to him. ''Does it stop here?''

''No, but the creature did something to this tree. See this cut and the resin running out of it?'' He ran his fingers along a deep fissure in the bark where the golden blood of the spruce was slowly trickling out. ''Either it cut the wood with a knife or, which is more likely if you consider these splinters here, it struck it with a blunt, heavy object, perhaps a club or a broad axe.''

Again, the blacksmith massaged his chin, nodding absent-mindedly. ''Hmm. If it's about a day old, there's no chance that we might catch up with it. But these prints look familiar to me, I just can't put my finger on the name … ''

''You saw one of those things before?'' Link asked incredulously. His father figure nodded slowly. ''Years ago. A small group of these monsters invaded Ordon little after you came to us. They were small but scary, wielding something that resembled an axe or a rake made of wood. What was strange though, I remember that they were blue.''

''Blue?'' Link raised an eyebrow. ''What kind of creature is blue?''

''A blo … blue …eh blin … dammit … Oh, I remember! It was called a bokoblin.'' Rusl exclaimed, snipping his fingers. ''Yes, a bokoblin. Nasty creatures they are. And dangerous for the other villagers. We should go back immediately and tell Bo what we found today, he'll know what to do.''

Link nodded. His heart had started to race as Rusl had spoken about the bokoblins. He had never seen a monster bigger than the small spiders sometimes scrambling up his ladder in search for a place to nest. Even if Rusl, being a blacksmith as well as a swordsman, schooled him in the art of the fight, he had rusted in a little over the winter, his blunt, wooden sabre hanging from its sheath in his house lazily. He would take it with him, along with his bow, if he ever wandered into the woods again, for his and Epona's own safety.

The red horse soon greeted them with a happy snort as they came out of the coppice once more, Link patting her neck lovingly. Together, they took off on the road back to Ordon, which they would reach in about an hour's travel. The sun, even if not visible through the grey, clouded sky, started to set behind the approaching hills of Ordona Province, bathing the woods around them in a sombre twilight. The two men soon had to lit their lanterns which they had stowed away in Epona's saddlebags, the strong yellow light giving them enough reassurance that they started to talk quietly after a while. No creatures of the night would approach fire.

''You know, I always feel a strange sadness as dusk falls. My father once told me that this is the only time of day that we can feel the lingering regrets of the spirits which have passed over to the Sacred Realm.''

''Why?'' Link asked, looking to his surrogate father with interest.

''He said that this is the only time when our world intersects with theirs. We feel peaceful, yet a little sad, at least that's what I feel. I believe that's how the spirits of the dead feel too. They are at peace, but their regrets from their time of life make us feel the loss. And loss is something we feel sad about. Sometimes it comes out in nightmares, sometimes in illness –''

''Rusl, I don't want to talk about it.'' Link cut him off, knowing very well where his father figure wanted this to lead. Rusl relapsed to silence, looking at his adoptive son with worry in his eyes. The lad never wanted to talk about anything that included his well-being, never wanted anyone to worry about him. But he did, deeply, for he saw Link grow up in a place that was not his. He needed adventure, stuff to see, to marvel at. No book in the world could ever show him the real world outside, Hyrule in all her grandeur and splendour.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. ''Okay, forgive me. But Link, I wanted to ask you something. Do you still remember that good fellow Valhansen from Hyrule?''

''Of course, I bought a book from him.'' Link answered, still eyeing Rusl sceptically. This man, as much as he loved him, could sometimes be a little unpredictable.

''Well, he wasn't only a book-seller, you know, but some sort of diplomat at the same time. He told Bo and I, while we had a drink together, that the King awaited a representative of Ordon who was to travel to Hyrule and attend to the ceremony of Peace, swearing loyalty and support to the Crown. To mark their vow, they have to present a gift to her Majesty in person, and Bo chose me to do this task.''

Link's eyes immediately went wide. ''He chose you? Why not go himself, him being the mayor?'' Rusl laughed. ''Bo? No, he would get a sore behind on a horse from lack of experience, and he can't leave the village like that, with the sowing date approaching and the goats to slaughter. But, you know, neither … can I.''

Link looked bewildered. Rusl smiled at his countenance. ''I have a wife which awaits a baby in the coming months, and the tools for work need repairing or replacement. I have to go hunting for meat and help on the field.''

''But Rusl, I can do your part of the work, that's not a problem for me. And I can go hunting two times a day, if it helps –'' Rusl, however, cut him off. ''No, son. Even if that's very kind of you, I must decline. In fact, I thought that you already had an inkling of what I want you to do.''

The young Hylian's chin hit the ground, and he shook his head incredulously. ''Me? You mean, I'm going to be – no, you can't be serious. I never left the woods, I will mess up completely –''

''No you won't.'' Rusl said firmly. ''You are the most intelligent, cunning, cleverest young man I have ever seen, and you deserve the honour of being our representative. I would choose none other than you, my son.''

Link bit his lips, looking down in shame. ''I'm not even a man yet.'' he said in a soft voice. The smith tapped him on the shoulder affectionately. ''Of course you are, Link. You are young, yes, but you're mature far beyond your years. That's what matters, not the years you already wander this earth. That's just a number. So, are you into this?''

''I need to think about it first.'' Link answered truthfully. Yet inside, he was boiling. This was it, his chance to set his eyes upon the biggest and wealthiest kingdom the world had ever seen. The history of the Goddesses was written on Hylian ground, everything of importance like a war, or a peace treaty, or the rise and fall of kings, all came to pass in those vast lands full to the brim with wonders, mysteries, tales and songs. And the Hylians, those people said to be the descendants of the Goddesses themselves and blessed with their powers, such wealth, such authority, such laureateship! Even the merchants coming to Ordon filled him with pride about being one of them, yet he craved to see their world with his own eyes, to set his feet on their grassy plains and steep mountains and cool rivers and … paved roads of Castle Town. Oh, Castle Town! How was it even possible for those houses to build so high, so magnificent, and stand a storm when a tree fell? How was it possible for all those stones to fit together perfectly and stay together without falling apart again? How was it possible to build an entire castle out of stone? How was it possible to pave roads, to lift a bridge or to conduct water into a stone pool where it flowed incessantly?

''Link? You're dreaming again.'' Rusl cut through his musings with a chuckle, letting Link jump back to reality again. ''No! I was just, you know … ''

Epona snorted behind him and gave him a clout, causing him to stumble. ''Hey!'' he protested, rubbing his backside. The horse neighed loudly as if laughing at him, throwing her head about. Rusl giggled in a childish manner, and Link just sighed, smiling in shame.

0

''Bokoblins? Are you sure?'' Bo asked with a worried tone. He was sitting on a chair at his table, Link and Rusl sitting opposite him. ''We just found the trace of one, but that's alarming enough.'' the smith said. The mayor turned to Link. ''Are you sure it was not a human or a monkey?''

Link nodded immediately. ''I know a monkey's print when I see one, and it could not be a child's because it was too deep. I've never seen such a print before, mayor.''

Bo nodded, twirling his massive moustache thoughtfully. The youth looked between the two men and wondered what was going on in their heads. Was it really that dangerous, a bokoblin? According to the print he had seen, it must be a little shorter than himself, otherwise its small feet would not have been able to carry it. Maybe alone it was harmless, but in a group it could be a threat if they really were armed. He suddenly felt a twinge of fear about returning to his reclusive home, so near to the forest. If ever he was attacked, he could never call for aid quickly enough. No one would hear him.

But Epona was there, and he had his wooden sword along with a few powerful fighting skills he had honed his entire life. He would be all right.

''We should immediately close all the gates and tell the children to stay away from the forest. If really there are bokoblins in those trees I don't want any trouble with them. Rusl, how many swords do you have in store?''

''I always anticipated that sooner or later we would have to defend our village, so I made a sword for every man capable of fighting. It's nothing fancy, but strong enough to withstand a few tough blows.'' As Link turned to him in surprise, Rusl smiled. ''You've got one as well, my boy.''

''Well done, Rusl.'' Bo praised. ''I'll immediately assemble the men and you go fetch the swords to distribute them.''

The stout man was about to stand up, but Rusl stopped him. ''Mayor, may I have another word? There is something Link and I wanted to tell you.''

As the mayor sat down again with interest in his eyes, Rusl explained. ''Link and myself had a little chat about the important delivery for Castle Town in a few weeks' time. As you know, Uli is pregnant and needs me at her side, and I have to help with the sowing and repair the broken tools. That's why I thought that our Link here,'' he placed his hand on the youth's shoulder. ''might go in my stead. He has never left the woods and is the only one in the village capable of riding Epona. He's intelligent and responsible, and a visit to Hyrule would really do him good. What do you think?''

Bo eyed the two men sitting in front of him closely, eventually looking Link over as if to judge if he was fit for the job. ''And what do you think about that, my lad?'' he then asked.

''It would be my greatest honour, sir.'' the Hylian answered while bowing his head. ''I would love to see Hyrule for real instead of just in books and bring to Castle Town whatever needs delivery.''

''You would have to see the King and swear eternal allegiance and support. That in front of thousands of people. Do you think you can manage that?''

Link swallowed uneasily at the thought of all those people watching him, and solely him. He had never been fond of large crowds. The inhabitants of Ordon, when assembled, where already enough to make him feel uncomfortable. But he nodded despite his fear. ''I'll try my best, mayor.''

The big man grinned broadly and stood up, the two others doing likewise. Stepping in front of Link he grabbed his shoulders with his huge hands. ''It'll be my greatest pleasure to see you as our representative. You'll be all right, trust me!''

''Father?'' From the upper level of the grand house, a sleepy, female voice echoes down to their ears. Link looked up to see Ilia dressed in naught but a light nightgown, causing him to blush deeply.

''Oh, Ilia. I'm sorry if we woke you up.'' her father answered in shame.

''What were you discussing with Link?'' she asked back, now stepping down the stairs. ''Is there something wrong with him?''

Rusl hid his grin behind a raised hand, and Link turned even more crimson. ''No, Love, I've just assigned him to travel to Castle Town instead of Rusl to deliver our gift to Hyrule.''

''What?'' Ilia burst out immediately. ''Link is gonna leave Ordon? But father, you can't do that!''

''Of course I can. Now get back to bed, sweetheart, it's much too late for you to be up still.''

Ilia sent him a deadly glance before turning on her heels and heading back up the stairs. Bo sighed deeply before escorting Rusl and Link out of his house, telling them to meet everyone at the blacksmith's forge to distribute the swords.

0

''Is there gonna be a fight?'' Fado the rancher asked worriedly. He held his plain sword awkwardly away from him as if it were a venomous serpent, looking up to Bo who stood on the porch of Rusl's small house.

''No, Fado, at least I hope not. Rusl and Link only found the fresh traces of one wandering about in the woods, but it can never harm to be utterly cautious.''

''Mayor, what about the kids?'' Jaggle asked, holding his wife closely to himself and the new sword in the other hand. ''I don't want them running off into the forest and get attacked.''

''You're quite right, Jaggle. Tell them explicitly to stay away from the forest, under punishment if they don't. And I task Link here to keep an eye on them, since his house is closest to the woods. Now get some sleep everyone, and remember to lock your doors tightly.''

The adults all nodded and slowly returned to their homes, whispering worried questions and answers to themselves. Link did not turn immediately; he was busy eyeing his new sabre. It was very rushed and looked rather weak, but it would do. He had never had a real metal sword in his hands, so the effect it had on him was indescribable.

''I had to do yours a little quicker since I thought you'd not be ready for a real one.'' Rusl said as he stepped up to him. ''But it should do pretty well, if you handle it carefully.''

''I will, Rusl.'' Link answered.

''Link, why don't you stay at home with us tonight? I worry about you and those bokoblins should they come into the village. You're the first one they'd attack, and I don't want you to get hurt.''

Link smiled as he shook his head. ''That's nice of you, Rusl, but I prefer to stay with Epona. She'll protect me and warn me should something come.''

''But what if she falls asleep and doesn't hear them?'' the smith sounded nearly frantic. His adoptive son shook his head again. ''I'm not a child any more, Rusl. I can look after myself.''

His surrogate father looked sceptical, something which Link tried to ignore by looking down. Why was it that he trusted Link by giving him this special mission to fulfil, but that he didn't even think he could handle a stupid bokoblin? He felt the foreign feel of anger sweep into him and urging him to shout at the man in front of him, but he suppressed it quickly with a frown. He would never shout at him again.

''Good night, Rusl.'' he said instead, lifting his eyes and smiling. ''Thanks for the sword, and the conversation earlier. It was nice.'' And off he went. He could feel Rusl's lingering gaze at the back of his neck like an annoying fly, but he just walked up the path out of the village without turning one last time.

As Rusl sighed deeply, his wife stepped up to him. ''Don't worry, darling, he'll be all right.''

''Oh, Love, it's just that I have this impression, you know. I think he never forgave us completely to not have told him earlier. It makes me sad to see him so alone.''

''He's not alone, sweetheart, and I'm sure he knows that. I think you really made him happy with this mission of Bo's. And he will make it, I'm sure of it. Now come, Love, my bed is so cold without you at my side.''

Rusl laughed as he scooped Uli up in his arms, holding her like a bride. She giggled heartily while he carried her back to the house, winding her arms around him and kissing him lovingly on the cheek.

0

As Link closed the door to Epona's stable, she nudged him on the arm with a soft noise coming from her throat. ''Yeah, I'm afraid too, Epona. But don't worry, I'll protect you, if you protect me!'' he added while pointing a finger in the air and raising his eyebrows. The horse whinnied once and threw her head into the air, making him chuckle. ''So we have a deal then, right? Teamwork?'' he said, ruffling her snout with a smile.

Up in his home, he took the makeshift sheath with his wooden sword inside from the wall where it hung, and replaced it with the dull metal one. Full of proudness he held it in front of himself, taking in every detail, every curve and scratch on the blade and hilt his greedy eyes could find. Strong feral iron, sharpened to the cutting point, and plain dark wood for a grip with a simple leather strap wound around it for better halt. Nothing special, nothing fancy. But he loved it!

Sighing, he hung it back on its nail, watching it with longing in his eyes. Even if quiet and humble for a boy of seventeen, he sometimes had this strange feeling of … thirst for adventure. Whenever he killed game in the woods he sometimes found himself just staring at the blood flowing out of the killing wound in awe, or at his hands smeared whenever he had pulled his weapon out again. That was why he mostly hunted alone rather than in a group with Rusl, Moe and Jaggle; he didn't want to be bothered by their questions. Rusl could be _so _worried sometimes, nearly to the annoying point. But he never said anything, for they only cared about him. The whole village had cared about him since he was a baby, and he felt such thankfulness towards them for having saved his life that he always tried to be a part of them, a part of their big family.

But he felt as if he didn't belong there any more. He was a foreigner, had been ever since he entered Ordon for the first time in Rusl's arms. Hyrule seemed to call for him with every day he passed here in the South, miles away from her, waiting for the date his mission would start. Four weeks from now, Bo had said, in the middle of spring, and he would be off. How he hoped that this time passed quickly.

As he was about to climb up his two ladders to his bed, he halted in mid-motion. He was not in the mood to sleep now, he noticed, and instead made his way to the bookshelf resting underneath the first platform. Not the quires caught his attention tonight, but a long wooden object lying on top of the uppermost shelf. He took it carefully in his hands, brushing a thumb over the pattern engraved into it, and walked back to his fireplace where he sat down on a pillow.

The staff made of dark wood had been crafted solely for him, the most beautiful gift Rusl had ever made to him. He could well remember that evening those people were there, entertaining the village like last year. Rusl had apparently seen his marvelling eyes set on that wooden staff one of the visitors had held high, and had intercepted the stranger the next day to instruct him how to craft one of those as well.

Link did not really have an accurate birthday, but the villagers had always taken the first day of autumn, when the leaves had already turned colourful and the sun was bleeding, to celebrate his arrival at Ordon. Never he had wanted a big thing made out of that day, so presents were a thing he rarely accepted willingly. That one, however, had turned his life completely upside-down. He would never forget the amused look on Rusl's face as he had presented him the object. Link had been so flabbergasted that, for a long time, he had just held it in his tiny hands like something holy, fragile and able to break at any false movement, and had stared at it with his blue sparkles wide in disbelief.

Link smiled at the memories, gazing into the crackling fire while he put the flute to his lips. It was a Hylian flute, his favourite instrument, played sideways with an airy sound that filled him to the brim with pleasure. He would always ask the flute player from travelling musicians to write their tunes down on a piece of parchment so that he could play them again with his own instrument. Like this he had, over the years, built up a real collection of Hylian songs which he sometimes even played accompanied by Rusl and his guitar. Three instruments were always missing, the violin, the pipes and maybe a second, lower guitar, to make the songs whole. But that was okay for him, as long as he could play his flute.

This was what he did now, playing a soft tune to relax his reeling thoughts. The little melody he played with trained fingers came out of his instrument and swept up his high house, out of the small window and into the dense woods of Faron.

Suddenly he paused, his brow furrowing suspiciously. There was a feeling in his bones he could not put words onto, like a cold blow of wind exposing his vulnerable skin to all the threats of the world. He remembered that strangeness of the woods earlier, and now it was as if something was creeping up to him, ready to strike. Sharply he turned around, looking at the sabre hanging next to his door. Its presence reassured him considerably, yet it did not quell his fear entirely. He felt observed, even through the thick walls of his safe home. He didn't know how to describe it, but a feeling of eeriness would name it best. He hoped that spring was on its way and sending this foul darkness and lifelessness out of the gathered trees. He would sleep much better knowing that a bright sun awaited him every morning instead of the doubt if you would even wake up at all.

He turned around again and resumed his tune, seeking comfort in the airy notes twanging around his ears. This settled him down again in a matter of seconds, letting him completely forget the instinct that had set itself in motion a few minutes ago.

Further into the dark, not far away from the first house of Ordon where the light burnt long that night, a lone creature heard the song restarting from within the tree-house. Its breaths were raspy, drops of saliva trickling from its sharply teethed mouth. The white locks of its hair, bound to a ponytail a little over its head, quaked as it scrambled away on its legs too short. A low rumbling sound emanated from its throat, a little high-pitched in the end. Its small green eyes glistened evilly... what a loot this would be!

000


	4. Chapter 3 Solitude with a few Exceptions

**Chapter 3 – Solitude with a few Exceptions**

Work on the field was hard. Whenever you bended wrongly you could have a backache for the rest of the day, according to Kila. You had to keep your legs straight, bend at the level of the loin and let your arms reach the ground to do the work. For reaping carrots, potatoes and all the vegetables growing on the ground, this was the best way to harvest them. Ploughing was more laborious and strained the arm muscles immensely, especially when the donkey in front of you was too slow or didn't want to pull the plough at all.

''Link!'' Kila shouted way over the enormous field. Her voice reached his ears only because the wind was carrying her call in the right direction. While she waited for him to run towards her, she wiped her sweaty forehead with a sigh and redid the knot in the coloured cloth holding her curly hair in check.

''Fanny doesn't wanna move.'' she said, indicating the miserable looking donkey in front of her as Link came panting and bend down to the animal, looking it deeply in the eyes while holding it gently at the collar. The poor beast bleated loudly as he groped for her ankle, and Kila frowned. ''What's the matter?''

''She has a thorn in her hoof, no wonder she didn't want to move. Wait, it will not take a minute.''

With this he knelt down next to the donkey, grabbed her hoof and held it up. Indeed, a thick thorn was sticking in the cartilage, but no blood was visible. There was only a strange green substance clinging to the spike, something which Link eyed suspiciously. ''Odd.'' he said, bending down to inspect it closer.

''Is she wounded?'' Kila asked as she looked over his shoulder. ''Ewh! What's that stench?''

''Don't know.'' Link answered, now carefully enclosing the intruder with his fingers and giving it a light tug. It didn't budge at all, so he pulled harder. ''It's quite deep in her hoof, I think she has stepped onto it a little too often, but at least it's not infected.''

''Hey, Kila, what is i'?'' Jaggle came up to them and looked at the hoof in Link's palm. ''Uh, that's a nasty thorn.''

''He can't get it out.'' the woman answered as she leaned in closer. ''Meaybe we should ask Rusl to fetch one of his grippers?'' Jaggle proposed, but Link shook his head. ''No, that won't be necessary.''

To both their surprise the lad bend down and promptly bit into the thorn, causing it to crack a little. With a grunt and a bleat from Fanny he tore it away from the hoof, spitting it out quickly and wiping his mouth with his hand. ''I think that should do.'' he said as he stood up, setting the donkey's leg back on the ground. The girl seemed much more comfortable now, already nibbling at Link's trousers while he looked in the earth for the thorn he had taken out. ''That was courageous, Link, and disgusting.'' Kila laughed heartily in her voice much too loud to be a woman's, and Jaggle tapped on Link's shoulder vigorously, causing him to vacillate. ''Well done, lad!''

Link smiled at them before holding the thorn up. ''What do you think about that? This isn't a thorn at all, it's a tooth.''

Kila gulped as she eyed the thing between Link's fingers, Jaggle looking baffled. ''A tooth? How can tha' be?''

''When did you last take the donkeys to the woods for washing?'' Link questioned.

''Yesterday.'' Kila answered. ''Mum and I took them through the smaller path towards the spring, she must have treadled into it on the way.''

Link frowned, watching the tooth. The green liquid still clung to it, as well as to his tongue which let him spit out a few times. ''Well, it tastes awful, so it must be something else than a wolf's tooth. You should take it to Bo, maybe he knows what it is.'' he said, handing it to Kila who took it with the tip of her fingers.

While the farm woman was away, Link sat to work with the plough attached to Fanny. ''Okay, girl, make me proud.'' he said, pinching her rear to make her go forward. The animal whinnied once before digging her small hooves into the field, causing the heavy apparatus behind her to follow her. As Link pressed his entire bodyweight onto the two handles the blades of the plough dug into the earth, splitting it quickly and leaving a deep furrow behind. Soon his arms ached from the strain as he pushed with all his might, helping Fanny as good as he could with his own strength. Thankfully the sun was not hot enough in spring to burn holes into his nerves, letting the sweat on his forehead come solely from the effort of the hard work.

They quickly made their way through the field, every time they hit the edge re-starting half a yard to the side. After nearly two hours, seven deep gouges they made on the entire length of the field, which was over a hundred yards long, until a horn bellowed near the entry to the field where Moe, Harold, Jaggle and Pergie were busy hacking away the weeds over the potato section.

Sighing, Link let himself drop down next to the panting Fanny, taking a moment to let them both catch their breath. While he was still working, there had been a strange feeling in his belly, as if it was pressed down by something heavy. It nearly hurt, and he also felt quite giddy while he sat there, breathing deeply. He presumed it was just from the hard work and lack of water, so he didn't mind too much as he saw, in the distance, the small forms of Ilia and Beth walk up to the other workers with baskets over their arms. The twelve-year-old stayed with them while Link watched Ilia run over to him, which took a good minute considering the length of the field. ''Hi Link!'' she panted, plopping down next to him. ''I brought you some bread and cheese, and water.''

''I'll gladly take the water first, if you don't mind.'' he answered and took the waterskin from her hand, drinking in deep swallows its fresh content. While he quenched his thirst, the fair-haired girl reached into the basket and handed him a cloth. The Hylian smiled as he wiped his face drenched in sweat. ''Thanks.''

''You're welcome.'' she grinned, nudging him with the arm. ''You were the rescuer of the damsel in distress, I heard?''

''What?'' Link chuckled. ''Who told you that?''

''Kila. She came with that nasty thorn in her hand into the house and told Father about it. Fanny _does_ seem happier now, don't you, girl?'' She patted her furry belly affectionately, which caused the donkey to snort while she crunched the carrots Ilia had brought for her.

''Anyway, you did a great job, you two.'' the girl praised and glanced at Link, suddenly her look growing stern. ''You look pale. Are you all right?''

Link had noticed that the sight of food in the basket nearly made him throw up, and his belly had started to really hurt now. ''I don't know, I feel a little sick, I think.'' he said, clasping a hand over his stomach.

While the workers ate their meal, Uli came into the field. Her swelled belly had grown considerably over the winter, making it nearly difficult for her to walk normally. She gladly accepted Jaggle's offer for a seat on a lone rock at the edge of the field and asked Beth to hurry and tell Link to fetch Fanny.

''Run, girl, it's important.'' she urged in a hushed voice. In her hand, she held the white tooth Link had pulled out of the donkey's hoof. Jaggle, who saw it shine clean in her hand, approached. ''Well, whose tooth is it, then?''

''Link, you have to come and bring Fanny to Uli.'' Beth gasped, and Link nodded. He had a little trouble standing up without falling back from vertigo, but good old Fanny pressed herself against his side as if to make him support himself on her. Ilia had detached the heavy plough from her, and together they made their way to the blacksmith's wife.

As soon as Link stepped up to the adults, Uli hurried to the donkey and lifted her hoof. ''What's the matter?'' Ilia asked over her shoulder. The pregnant woman poked a little in the hole still remaining in Fanny's cartilage, but she soon straightened again with a content smile on her face. ''It's all right, Love. No harm here, I see.''

Jaggle, however, interrupted her. ''What about Link?''

''What about Link?'' Uli repeated while looking to her adoptive son inquisitively.

''He pulled it out with his teeth.''

''What?!'' Uli shouted, immediately stepping up to the youth and pressing her hand against his forehead. ''Oh Link, what have you done?''

The Hylian staggered a little as she nearly pushed him on the rock she was sitting on earlier. ''What's wrong, Uli?'' he asked in an irritated voice while she forced his mouth open and gazed into it.

''That was a deku baba's tooth, Link, it's venomous.'' Uli moaned, and every one gasped around them. ''Now, you're coming with me immediately, I'll give you an emetic. No working for you any more, sweetheart, or you will be in a really bad shape.''

''What's an emetic?'' Link could just utter in sheer shock before his mother figure grabbed him by the arm and trudged out of the field.

Ilia was as white as a sheet. While Uli dragged her paling son down the road towards the ranch and the path to Ordon, she followed with stomping feet, looking anything but pleased. Link had wriggled himself out of Uli's grip and was walking along with the two women, wearing a pained and self-conscious expression with ears hanging a little lower than usual.

Back in his house, Uli immediately packed him with a sheet on his mattress which they had brought down to the ground level from the uppermost platform for better access to their patient. Link was now really feeling bad, his head was aching awfully and spinning in dizziness. The belly was in no better shape, hurting as if a fire burnt in its fleshy walls.

''Could you fetch me the salt out of my house?'' Uli instructed Ilia who quickly ran off, but not without a last, venomous glance at Link which did only worsen his already poisoned condition.

He just laid under his blanket, looking miserable while Uli set some water on the fire to heat up.

''I'm sorry, Uli, I really just noticed it was a tooth when I had already pulled it out. And on the ranch we always get thorns out of the goat's hooves with the teeth.'' he tried to calm his mother, but the pregnant woman already looked much more sympathetic. ''It's all right, Love, it's not your fault. Normally it shouldn't have happened at all, for deku babas never venture this far near human settlements.''

''What do they look like? Have I seen one before?'' Link asked. Uli smiled and stroked over his cheek lovingly. The boy had always been so curious. ''Well, I only know them from depictions in my poison book, but I think they look a little like a plant with a huge maw and teeth. You don't want to cross one of those on your way, trust me.''

The door banged open again, revealing the fair-haired girl suddenly looking way nicer than before, with a small sack in her hand. She trotted over to Uli who was pouring a cup of warm water, and turned around to face Link.

''Sorry I was angry, I just realized it couldn't have been your fault.'' she apologized, making Link chuckle. ''It's okay, Ilia.'' However, a moan escaped his lips as a painful spasm erupted from his belly.

''Here, drink this. It will make you vomit to get the poison out of your body.'' Uli said, handing him the cup where she had poured two big tablespoon of her precious salt into it. Link, however, instead of taking the mug from her hand, groped for a bucket standing nearby and began to retch violently. Ilia went to him and placed a reassuring hand on his back, addressing the blacksmith's wife. ''I think that won't be necessary.'' Sweet sarcasm and sympathy swept with her voice, causing the older woman to smile as they both assisted Link lovingly while he emptied the content of his lurching stomach into the bucket with coughs and gags.

0

Link had an awful night. Uli had managed after all to empty her mug of salt water into him, which was apparently what she meant with an emetic, and the torture of being woken by the ever-lasting urge to get everything that should and should not be in his stomach out of it, if possible in the most painful way, managed to render him bed-ridden for almost two days. As if this was not enough, a fever spread over him for the biggest part of the time he stayed in his home recovering, making him bad-tempered and constantly tired. Uli had said that even the smallest quantity of toxin from the deku baba's mouth could render a person immediately ill, for Link had been puzzled that the small amount he had inadvertently licked made such trouble. He hoped that he would never encounter such a beast in his life, yet somehow there was this insatiable curiosity in him which urged him to go and look for such a creature. It had the same effect on him than the bokoblin two weeks ago. The thought alone that there were monsters lurking in the shadows, unseen yet spying on helpless prey they could attack from behind, drove him nearly mad. He felt constantly watched, could not sleep well at night because of this and his body reacting to the poison all the time. When he at last seemed to have gotten over it, he slept for an entire day, not able to be roused.

As dusk of the third day he passed in his sick bed fell, the fever had at last broken, the poison was long gone from his body, and he felt his natural strength come back gradually with every minute he lay under his warm blanket and dozed quietly in the glow of a small oil lamp. For the first time in three days, he was alone at last, Ilia having just left after looking one last time after him before retiring to her own bed.

He waited patiently for the night to enshroud them all completely until no rosy edge was left in the cloudless sky. Spring in Ordon was always warm and pleasant, winter having left this land for good, at least until Nature needed the next long break. Link had had his fill of resting useless in bed, his limbs burned to get out into the fresh air of the woods and carry his strong Hylian body once more wherever he wanted to go.

As a night bird began its concert in the dark, he decided that Ordon was fast asleep now, and bolted up as quickly and quietly as he could. His body was well rested, but his mind still suffered from the constant lying around and being pinched and pressed and tortured with spasms and painful getting-this-damn-stuff-out-of-him performances. He needed silence, peace and solitude, and there was but one place on earth where he could find exactly that and enjoy it for a couple of hours, with no chance of being followed or interrupted.

He found himself in naught but his baggy, grey-brown trousers and remembered how Uli had liberated him from his many clothing layers that were wall-papered all over his body. First he pulled on his white shirt with its curvy stitching and green tinted collar where a lace was holding it together. Next he wrapped his skirt around his hips, and not as you might think if you know nothing of Ordon's clothing style. This skirt was more a strong kerchief of the finest, dark green linen cloth which he wound around himself so that it only reached to the middle of his thighs, leaving enough space between his legs to move around freely. After this was safely attached, he pulled the shirt over it and took the next piece of garment in his hands. This you might take for an short, ornate apron with a fancy leaf depicted on it, but to Link it was much more than that. This was his identity in the village, for no other inhabitant wore the same one as he did. A beige and brown coloured patchwork of triangles sewed together framed the white leaf picture in the middle, all of it attached around his hips, over the shirt, by two long laces of cloth.

Last but not least came his second identity-based garb, this time in the form of a blue towel which was held around his waist with a linen belt, well, more a scarf if you prefer, yellow with orange circles and rim on the uppermost and underside dyed onto the cloth. Everyone in Ordon had his special apron and belt & towel, and everyone wore it, all except one. His best friend Ilia had always had a certain apprehension for her traditional garments, and Link could all too well guess why. At her mother's passing, Ilia normally should have inherited her garbs, but she had never wanted to wear them. Out of mourning, sadness or insupportableness, he did not know. Her mother was a topic Ilia rarely brought up, much like Link with his own, unknown parents. They had had their conversations about them, but those had initiated too many questions that were still left unanswered. There was no point in lingering on passed regrets, suffering under them and not see the path in front of them. At least Ilia felt like that. Link never had been able to forget them, his unanswered questions were multiple and totally pointless to investigate, for no one knew even a thing about his true parents. Rusl had not seen anyone but the lone baby lying on the stone. Link had barely been alive for a couple of hours before the blacksmith found him so he couldn't remember neither a face, nor a voice. It was like a total emptiness in this brief part of his life, so short yet so important to him.

It was time to set his mind straight again, he thought as the emotions and questions welled up in him anew. The green, detached sleeve which he normally wore additionally over his left arm stayed on the ground this time. He had already lost the other one in that reclusive place of his that he didn't want to risk the other. Rusl had been mad with rage as he had told him he had lost one of the two pieces that labelled the swordsmen in Ordon. Link didn't want to witness this ever again.

The night air was fresh but not cold, a perfect combination for his nocturnal getaway in his piled-up clothes. The moon was waning in the star-covered sky and looked very much alike with a piece of a sign he had seen in his little history book, the symbol of Courage. A green point and two sickle shaped lines to its right, the second bigger than the first as if they were departing from the green centre outwards. That sign had marked him deeply and had made him think a lot about the actual meaning of Courage, and why its symbol was shaped like this. He smiled as he gazed into the pale moonlight bathing his face in a faint silver, closing his eyes briefly to breathe in the pure air of the night with a pleased sigh.

A soft snort awoke him to alertness, but it was just Epona greeting him happily after three days of being separated from her life-long friend. ''Hi girl. Don't worry, I'm all better now. I'll be back soon, Love, don't wait for me.'' he whispered to her with a soft pat on her neck.

As if the horse was sensing his mind's call for solitude, she lowered herself again on her straw and scrunched drowsily on a maw-full of hay while Link stepped up to the wall which, along with its adjacent hill, separated him from the main village. Strong, thick vines were tangly grown together with the dark earth and grass, giving him the foot- and handholds he needed to quickly reach the top of the hill. His blue oceans flew over the small houses at a good distance down below, with the chimneys at rest as well as all their smoke-makers. Even there, Link admitted it was quiet and peaceful to his liking, but not enough. They could still be roused out of their sleep if he made too much noise, so he sneaked along the hill into the woods where it still rose him higher than the thick trees of Faron.

His goal was a small creek which seemed to end in a pool. But Link knew better than what the first impression taught anyone. In his childhood he had often ventured there where the Ordona Runnel, which started in the impassible mountains to the far south, worked its way first to Ordonafawn, the neighbouring village of Ordon in the west, then to his own living hamlet before turning east and crossing Timberfell where it grew larger and joined the big flow of Faron River. He had noticed that it came out of an underground network of natural waterways where it threw itself into the pond near Ordon. Being younger, him and the other children had often come here to cool off after a hard day of work or a hot one in summer, and no one seemed to have noticed the light current near the far end of Ordon's pool. Link, being as curious as he was in his younger age, had wanted to investigate where it came from, but because of the dangerous streams and long underwater tunnels his surrogate parents had forbidden him to ever go there alone.

He grinned. He was now just above the pond, looking around briefly before taking a little running start and landing head-first in the water. The shock of the sudden cold made him gasp, but his body was so accustomed to this nightly excursion that it didn't last long before he didn't even feel the water's icy touch on his clothed skin any more.

The surface was reaching to his neck as he waded towards the back wall enclosing the pool which seemed to stop there. His feet felt the ground slowly sink lower, and his eyes scanned the place to find the wall forming a fissure, just above the ground but high enough for his small body to squeeze through. He took a deep, really deep breath – for if he wanted to make it to his destination he would have to swim against the current – and dove down into the black.

Link had always been an excellent swimmer, and diver as well as a master in breath-holding. His skills mostly came from his absolute _Love _for the water, but also from a little thing he had found out while coming to the pond at night, already as a young boy of twelve. That time had been a tough one for him, for this was when he learned that he was adopted, and his surrogate parents had told him an immense lie all his life. It had been the first time he had really felt _angry_ and disappointed, betrayed even. Thinking was the only thing he had been able to do at that time, until the water rescued him.

As he made his way through the narrow tunnel with only the aid of his hands, the area around him being as dark as the word could be, he felt the water rush past him from his slow speed and the gush hitting him in the face powerfully. He knew at which point the oxygen in his lungs would be consumed, both from his vigorous movements to battle against the current and his lack of breathing. He knew though, and that was only due to immense luck, that a small crevice moved upwards into a bubble of air just big enough to dig his face into it and suck whatever air he could before it was all used up. With this extra aid he made it past the submerged tunnel and into a place suddenly throwing light madly at him.

As he broke through the surface and inhaled deeply, the silver moonlight greeted him as if mocking him and saying 'I was here before you!'. Of course it was not just the pale light that saluted him, but the echo of his quiet panting in a space filled with shimmers on the ceiling from the illuminated water, and the pleasant burbling of the Ordona Runnel amassing its droplets here, in a subterranean cavern, with only a small crack in the roof for light and the growth of vegetation.

Earth falling into the cavern through the fissure had little by little formed a solid platform on which he heaved his soaked body. Dripping wet, he sat there with one leg drawn up, chin resting on the knee, the other limb hanging down into the fresh water lazily. Oh, how he loved it to be here, in his little hidden cavern, with nothing and no one to disturb him while he thought or simply seeked quietude. How many hours of thinking he had already passed in his private spot of retreat he could not tell, but tonight he did not come the long, dangerous way into the cave to ponder. He had done enough of that.

No, he wanted to think about nothing, absolutely nothing except the water's soft caresses on his skin. Feeling the water around him had become his favourite activity here, and he was already passing through the usual procedure of taking piece by piece of his clothes off, retaining naught but his wide brown trousers. If he liked he could have stripped off his garments completely, for no one had ever managed it into his cavern or even knew about it. But the water was still a bit colder than he liked, so a little covering was gladly accepted.

The bottom of the small pond in which the Runnel threw itself was about as deep as he was tall, but his attention was set on something beyond the glistening surface, big and heavily lying on the ground. He breathed a few times deeply to oxygenate his lungs sufficiently, and let himself fall down to let his body be submerged completely.

Now, there was one important reason why he wanted to do this alone. Because, had anyone been with him and had seen him lift the heavy, round stone from the ground and place it right in his lap, they would have immediately thought the worst. Of course, Link's intent was _not _to drown himself – even if he had once nearly succumbed to that pitiful fate – but to just let his body be rooted to the ground effortlessly for him and close his eyes, let his arms go slack, lean against the wall of the water pool, and turn immobile. This was what he meant with solitude.

And yet, there was no solitude at all. If you considered humans or animals as the only company you could have, plants as well if you like, you were as wrong as you could possibly be. For Link was now enjoying the company of nearly all the senses that were given to him by birth, relishing their powers to heal his mind and relax his body until he forgot everything around him. The loudest sense sent a soft, muffled flowing, burbling and splashing up his ears which was constantly the same, but not quite if you paid close heed. Just there had been a little splash louder than the others, the burbling intoned another octave as his ears turned a little – for Hylians sometimes moved their pointy ears, a little like horses or cats, according to the noises around them, to express certain strong feelings or if they showed a special interest in something, at which they perked up cutely.

The melody around him had always been something he loved about his hidden cavern, for the syntony which the enclosed area played back for him was beyond comparison to every other sounds he knew. Reverberating, singing, soughing, dancing, sending the exotic notes playing around his mind till his very core, where they appeased and patted his turbulent thoughts and forced them gently to obedience. Nothing happened quickly, or too abruptly, just calmly in a way that let him sink further back against the wall, completely freed from his twirling cogitations and frustrations until only the blank entity of his mind was left, enjoying the constant symphony around it.

As soon as his mind was clear, the healing cavern began to work on its supporting shell. Water moved, flowed incessantly around him and dandled him in an over-dimensional cradle. The whole body of water was his resting place now, his massage room, his warm bed with its soft cushions and blankets and squashy mattress and darkness and cosiness and security and – oh so many pleasant feelings that he could not count them! Body of water meeting body of Hylian, drops meeting skin, pressure relaxing muscles, he floated weightlessly on a mass bulky yet frugal, parted by his own with both reluctance and alacrity, resistance yet not enough to resist him. He had been accepted and welcomed to suffer the water's struggles against him, and what he felt was the result of something so complex yet so naturally simple; the water's touch and life pounding along with his beating heart, as if they had become one.

That already made him forget completely that he normally didn't belong there.

The weaker senses, nearly imperceptible but present, were sight and taste, a combination of both now melting together in his relaxed entity to form a little addition to his soughing blissfulness. The blackness his closed eyes shed was a pleasant background to the vibrating opera he assisted to. Décor or decoy, both were accurate to its role in the play. Sometimes a completion which fulfilled the scene to perfection, sometimes a distraction from the actual centre of attention where it slipped into a minor derivative and performed an act on its own, displaying its talent with dancing lights mirroring the ceiling. Sometimes its metallic, cold, rich taste of costume invaded Link's concentration anew, letting him lick his lips in pleasant satisfaction for the sensual concert he was attending to. Taste and sight once more retreated to let the professionals take over, ending this first set with a booming crescendo pulsating up into the last fibre of his heart.

Or was it the chest? Somewhere there, yes. The lungs, maybe? …

Like and intruder in all this perfect mess of senses, the stone rolled off of him as he pushed the ground away and broke through the surface, gulping down a much needed breath. His head was spinning a little, but he was well accustomed to the aftermath of his underwater therapy to not think too much of it. After all this time he had been doing this here, he had managed the incredible feat of holding his breath for nearly seven minutes once, if he didn't move or had to battle against the up-drifting urge from his body which definitely opined he was not meant to be in water. This time it had been about four and a half minutes, but he was just getting warm. After the first pause, he would assist to the second act.

0

He just hoped his clothes would dry till morning. Quietly, he made his way back over the hill and down to the yard of his tree-house. Epona was fast asleep and he didn't want to wake her unnecessarily, so he moved as stealthily as possible up to his ladder. In the trees, the wind was rustling their growing leaves quietly, causing Link to shudder in his soaked clothes.

As he wanted to grab the first step, his ears suddenly peaked up into the direction of the wood path which lead out of Ordona and into Faron, and his head shot around. He could swear he had just heard a branch crack in the trees, only a little distance away from him. He frowned, his heartbeat gaining velocity as his keen eyes searched the shadows.

Epona was awake by now and standing up in her stable in alert. If a dog growled, she was now emitting a similar sound from the bottom of her throat, stomping uncomfortably with the hooves. Link quickly stepped to her and lay a delicate hand on her snout, speaking calmly to her while his eyes scanned the area.

Outside her stable always hung a lantern filled with oil, and luckily this evening someone had thought of lighting it. Holding the lamp high, he carefully approached the woods, Epona behind him snorting and shifting around nervously.

A rustle in front of him let him jump in fright, and he immediately regretted having a lantern instead of a sword in hand. The hairs of his neck stood on end as he heard a faint growl before him, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he slowly grabbed the leaves from the bush, took all his courage by the hand, and pulled back quickly.

A whimper greeted his keen ears, coming from the throat of a small, furry creature staring with big, black eyes back up at him. Link gasped, holding the light high to discover a small dog, resembling slightly a grey wolf with long ears and a white design on its muzzle. It must be still a whelp considering the soft, quilted fur and small appearance.

''Well, and who do we have here?'' he said with a smile, his voice soft and gentle to not scare the animal further. The puppy, not leaving the Hylian with its frightened eyes, lowered its body softly to the ground and tugged the tail between its legs, showing fear and submission.

Link carefully extended a hand and let the dog sniff at it. While it made his acquaintance, Link looked it over, and discovered to his horror that the whelp's fur was sticky with red. ''What happened to you, you poor thing?'' he asked as he patted its head, which the dog already accepted with more confidence. It was nudging at him in search for comfort, trotting out of its hiding place and nuzzling its way under his arm. Link chuckled and carefully took it up, noticing just how willingly it let itself carry. This little fellow must belong to someone then.

Bringing him into his house was a little difficult due to the steep ladder, but luckily the dog was not wriggling or fighting against his hold. In his house he placed him gently down in front of his warm hearth, quickly fetching a blanket from his bed on which the whelp let itself drop tiredly.

''So, let's have a look at you, then.'' Link mumbled, taking in his wound. It was quite a nasty blow to the side, apparently with a blunt object which had hit his flesh so hard that it had ripped the furry skin apart. Luckily for the long hair covering him from head to toe, he hadn't lost too much blood.

For the next hour, he took loving care of the small dog by cleansing the wound, pouring a weak disinfectant on the bruise and wrapping his sacrificed white blanket around the whelp's belly to keep it clean and protected. After having lapped up some milk which Link had poured into a bowl for him, the dog lay down to a seemingly much needed sleep by the fireplace. Link, however, was too distraught to close an eye.

What had become of his beloved childhood forest? Why had he this feeling that there was something seriously wrong with it? Bokoblins wandering its paths and threatening to invade their peaceful village, deku babas appearing on the roads much too near them … there was definitely something amiss in Faron Woods.

0

A knock on his wooden door roughly broke through the blood-curling screams of his nightmares and let him jerk up with a groan. He found himself rolled up on one of his carpets on the ground floor, his head draped over a stray pillow he had no idea how it had flown from the mattress in the far corner to his resting place.

''Link?'' Ilia's voice rang through the door, her jovial personality not waiting for him to respond as she was already stepping inside. The moment Link picked himself up, trying to look fresher than he felt, the whelp near the hearth jumped up and limped towards her. ''Wah!'' she screamed as it stood on its hind paws and greeted her joyfully.

''I can explain.'' Link said, rubbing his neck in shame while the dog licked at Ilia's hands and wagged his tail playfully. ''I think you need to, because while you slept some travellers came here this morning and asked if we had seen a missing puppy. Now how come that I find this exact same one in your house, Link?'' She folded her arms, watching him with an amused look.

''I found him as he came out of the woods. He was injured.''

Ilia seemed to notice only now the large bandage around the puppy's middle, and her gaze grew worried. ''I hope it's nothing serious. We should take him to Father, he's with the travellers.''

They made their way to the mayor's house, Link carrying the dog in his arms to prevent him from hurting himself further. Indeed, two men and a woman stood near the leader of Ordon, talking to him vividly. ''Oh! Cobalt, there you are, treasure!'' the woman shouted as she lifted her richly embroidered dress and hurried to Link and Ilia. The dog barked once and flapped his tail about, but waited patiently until Link had set him down on the ground safely. ''Oh boy, mummy was so worried about you darling! And dear Nayru, what happened to you, you poor little sweety?!'' With a questioning look and exceedingly painted eyelids – a detail which Link had never seen before and couldn't prevent himself from staring a few seconds in shock – she gazed at him, holding Cobalt in her arms protectively.

''Ehm … I found him last night, ma'am, I took care of him. He had a bruise on his side which I treated as best as I could.'' He could well see that this woman was not from the woods of Faron or elsewhere. She came from Castle Town or one of the neighbouring cities, and taking her expensive red gown she wore with all the embroidery on it, she must be a noblewoman.

''Oh Cobalt, I was worried to death, I was! Don't you ever run away like this when that happens again, you hear me?'' she reprimanded the totally confused dog in her arms, and Link could too well understand the poor thing. Had he been in his stead with such a mistress he would surely have run away as well. Jaggle and Pergie's two sons Talo and Malo also had a puppy, and he was always patted too roughly and driven out of sleep from Talo's loud voice. Sometimes he was glad he wasn't a dog!

''Poppet, we should go now.'' one of the two men addressed the woman who was presumably his wife. He wore similar clothes as she, with many a golden thread woven into the precious cloth, except that his was of a royal blue, and he wore a funny looking hat.

The third man of the foreign party looked drastically different, a simple brown tunic with a fur cloak and simple leather boots. He must be a ranger from Palaguard, the northernmost town in Faron Province and about two days' march from Ordon, which marked the threshold of the forest to the vast land of Hyrule. Big trading centre where the southern towns and villages took their goods for the Castle Town market, it was the farthest place Link had ever been from his home town, in lifetime that is, and closest to Hyrule. But the forest still enshrouded this larger town, making a quick glimpse at South Hyrule Field pay you another few hours of travelling. There had never been time for this, to Link's great disappointment.

The more rugged character had another difference to his high companions; he was armed, with a fine longbow and quiver over his shoulder and a dagger at his waist. It was this curious man, bearded and looking grim, who advanced on Link and stared him down. His dark brown eyes looked friendly though, letting Link stand easy. ''Where exactly did you find the dog? You didn't venture into the woods last night, did you?''

Link felt a little pang of guilt. He _had _been in the woods, but only at the edge and in a safe cavern, so if he lied now did he tell the truth anyway? ''No, I just went out to … to look after my horse, when I heard the dog in the bushes right next to my house.''

The man looked pleased, smiling with teeth strangely white for a man from the woods. ''You better keep out of Faron Woods for now, until it's safe again. My Lady, My Lord, we should keep going, the village of Ordonafawn is not far now, we should reach it by dusk.''

The man of the two nobles slowly pushed his wife along the road where two black horses – a lot smaller than Epona, Link noticed proudly – and a cart with a donkey were standing, the wagon loaded with cargo hidden away under a big tarp. While the two worked to mount their steeds clumsily, the ranger stepped over to Bo. ''A strange darkness has befallen Faron, Bo. Don't let your kids run around there for now, and you should dispense patrols at night. I'll let you know when the danger is over.''

''Thanks, Flinn. Your help is gladly accepted.'' the mayor answered, looking distraught. Ilia left Link's side and walked over to her father, touching his thick arm reassuringly. Link watched the newcomers depart slowly out of Ordon, taking the Southern Road towards Ordonafawn. The little dog turned his head in his mistress' arms and looked back at him briefly, emitting a little whimper which was carried away by the wind. Link just noticed now that the haughty pair hadn't even thanked him for taking care of their dog. Maybe they thought a simple ranch hand was not worth their attention?

Flinn marched ahead of the party, turning just to lift a hand in farewell to the villagers who had gathered around the mayor. Bo waved back, but everyone saw that his heart was not in it. After the group had disappeared behind the first turn, he trudged back to his house with arms folded in his back, looking worried and thoughtful.

''What was that all about?'' Link asked Rusl who stood next to Uli and Colin, arms folded. The blacksmith had his sword strapped over his right shoulder, and Link reminded himself he should do likewise.

''Those folks you saw were rich merchants from Castle Town, trading precious cloths and pelts. But they were attacked by a group of bokoblins last night, where their little dog got hurt, I presume.''

''Bokoblins?'' Link gasped. So they were definitely dangerous, if they attacked a group of merchants on the road. ''Where was that?''

''About two miles north of here, near the temple. They're lucky they're still alive!'' Rusl now looked cross. ''To go on a trading campaign now, in those dangerous times, is an insult to those who live in constant danger! Hah, and they even wanted to sell us some of their useless cloths! Such insolence!''

Link gulped as Rusl's voice went loud, but Uli placed a calming hand on her husband's shoulder. ''Calm down, Love, they just don't know any better. They surely meant no harm.''

''Rusl, do you mind if we trained together?'' Link proposed, watching contently how the smith's look went from angry to excited. ''Link, that's a great idea. Now that you're all better, you can show me if you practised well since last time.''

Link was glad to have put his father's thoughts on something else. Thanks to his nightly water therapy his body felt fresh and rejuvenated after its poisonous burden. He quickly jumped up his ladder to his house and fetched his strong metal sword while Rusl went over to the stable to patter Epona's mane.

''Link! Link!'' came Talo's voice from the hill path. The stormy boy was followed by Beth, his best friend, and Malo, his younger brother. In the distance Link could see young Colin also march up the road, hands playing timidly with themselves. The poor boy had always been so shy after Link had moved out, and he seldom played with the other kids. Maybe it was just his nature, or he felt guilty towards Link for having parents and he not. But Link had assured him many times that he would never blame him for what had happened to him, that he considered him more a little brother than anything else. And he would always love him as such. Believing that was up to Colin now.

''Can we watch?'' Talo asked in his noisy voice. He swayed his wooden play stick in the air as if imitating a sword and jumped up and down excitingly.

''Of course.'' Link assured, trying to sound interested. He was used to the fact that the kids watched him practise, so there was nothing to it. He stepped next to Rusl while the children sat down a little distance away. ''Will you stop with that stick, Talo?'' Malo said in his quiet, low voice. His tone always swung a certain amount of sarcasm along with it whenever he spoke, a fact Link had never understood. For a boy of six, this simply was the most unusual manner of speaking there was. He wondered what the full-cheeked, rude brat would become in the future.

''You know what we talked about last time, kids, you remember?'' Rusl reprimanded them sternly. ''Be quiet and don't interrupt, otherwise you'll have to leave.'' With approving shouts, Talo, Malo, Beth and Colin agreed.

''Good. You can start with ten sequences of horizontal strikes to warm up.'' the smith said to Link, standing near the youth's makeshift training puppet which was built just next to his tree. Link nodded and pulled the sword out of its leather sheath, letting the latter fall down to the ground. The hilt felt good in his palm, as if it was always meant to be there. The only thing he had to familiarize himself with was the weight of his still new weapon. He had always practised with wooden swords, but the slender metallic one was, even after two weeks of fighting with it nearly every day, still quite heavy in his grasp and sometimes just flew out of his hand when he noticed too late he didn't hold it firmly enough.

He took a short breath and brandished the skewer in front of himself, and just as he wanted to strike, Rusl intercepted him. ''You don't hold it like I told you, Link.'' His voice sounded stern, but a little hint of amusement let Link know he wasn't disappointed.

''I know, I tried, Rusl. But it doesn't work for me, it just feels wrong.'' the Hylian defended himself, letting the tip of his sword touch the earth.

''Can't you try one last time? I still don't understand why it doesn't work on you.'' Rusl proposed, and Link nodded submissively. He now buried the tip in the soil completely and gave it a little push, sending the hilt to swing around and land softly in his right hand. He then grabbed it again and took up stance, holding the blade now clumsily to the side. A deep frown was plastered on his face as he concentrated hard, made the normally familiar move to the side at the mannequin's head, missed awkwardly and nearly hacked Rusl's own head off had the latter not ducked under quickly enough.

''Sorry, please forgive me!'' Link wailed, flinching back in shame while he held the sword close to himself. The kids in the distance let out hearty laughs, his father figure emitting some similar noises Link could only think of as giggles while he straightened again, tapping on his son's shoulder. ''No worries, Link. But you're right, it definitely doesn't work for you. Come one, switch hands again and let us start.''

There was one other thing that let Link stand apart from the Ordonians beside his ears, good lookings, strong yet subtle body and capacity to take care of animals that well. In his mind, there was always something working in the exact opposite way than any other person he knew, if it came to sides. But his body and its reflexes were the ones showing this difference the most. Everything his friends in Ordon did with their right hand, he did it with his left. He ate, drew, wrote, opened a door, scrubbed a goat or cut his vegetables with his left hand. He held his bow differently, strapped his scabbard on the other shoulder and held his sword left, fought left and sheathed it left again. The first time Rusl had given him a wooden sword he had been perplexed to see him hold it in his left hand, and over the years of practice he had learned from Rusl by copying and mirroring his every move, becoming the most skilled lad in the village, and the only one Rusl knew who fought like a reflection of himself.

Now Link was scratching his left ear, as he always did when ashamed, and looked at the skewer sticking in the ground. ''I almost hacked your head off.''

''One reason more to do it your way. Now, ten sequences of horizontal strikes, please.''

Link was glad no one took his left-handedness as a bad sign. You must know that in Hyrule, no left-hander had been encountered for hundreds of years, making it seem as if that trait had vanished completely from the earth. Now, however, Link had come to Ordon, bearing this same ancient and lost mark in his veins and brains that everyone thought was long gone. Rusl had been the first to notice this particularity of Link, while teaching the little boy to write his name. What a surprise this had been indeed!

The metal shirt of the mannequin clanked loudly while Link hacked away at it, his moves smooth and fluid yet quick and strong as he performed strike after strike. Rusl didn't interrupt him, just watched his every muscle contract and move under his skin as he fought. He possessed a well-trained body, with controlled movements and a good balance, a broad chest and strong legs despite his short appearance. Link had never been a tall lad, even for his seventeen years and deep, calm voice. But in his motions swept a confidence and elegance that the smith had never seen before in a boy, even a Hylian. There was something special about him, he had always known that, and this made him only prouder to be the one who had raised him.

The last strike finished, Link stood easy again, his breathing hardly quicker. He let a glance fly over to his mentor, who nodded in contentment. ''Yay! Well done, Link!'' Beth shouted from her place next to Talo, relapsing to silence as Rusl hissed sharply.

''Yes, very good.'' he then said. ''You show your skills with moderation, making your opponent think they can beat you. The two last ones were powerful and would have resulted in a kill, I'm sure of that.''

Link smiled, shifting uncomfortably on his toes. ''If you say so.'' he answered quietly. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Talo and Beth speaking in hushed voices, and because of his long ears he could make out marvelling words of admiration. Sometimes he felt like a celebrity among the children, a fact he didn't really appreciate that much.

Rusl nodded eagerly. He knew just how reluctant Link was with praising, thinking he didn't deserve it. Rusl knew that he did. ''You cannot deny that you have become very skilled, those bokoblins would not stand a chance against you, trust me.''

Link nodded unwillingly, but his eyes suddenly darted to the side as he detected a movement. Rusl and the others followed his gaze, his hand instinctively shooting up to the hilt on his back. What had caught Link's attention, however, was not a foe as they all had expected, but a small animal with a very broad head and a pink flower behind the ear.

''A monkey!'' Talo shouted in astonishment, and Link sheathed his sword in the earth. Monkeys were the principal inhabitants of Faron Woods, their living places scattered a little everywhere in the tall trees. However, their main assembling place was the temple resting deeply in the woods, which was said to guard a very ancient, precious treasure. Many visitors and travellers had already ventured into those sacred walls in search for it, but the monkeys protecting it had scared them all off. It was rare, though, that those little creatures ventured into human villages.

''Indeed, but what's it doing here?'' Rusl asked in wonder.

The little female, as Link noticed immediately, emitted a high-pitched, pleading sound before turning around and hopping away. She was as quickly gone as she had arrived. ''Oh, odd.'' Link said, scratching his head. ''You think she was here for food?''

''Hm, I wouldn't think so. Normally they can look after themselves.''

''We have to go after it!'' Talo screamed and brandished his stick as he ran past Rusl, but the blacksmith caught him in his arms. ''No no no, you're not going anywhere! Stay out of the woods, your dad said, and that's what you'll do.'' He pushed Talo back to the other kids, shooting a small, friendly glance to his son. Colin smiled back, shaking his head a little in response to the stormed behaviour of Talo.

The little animal didn't turn up in the hours following wherein Link and Rusl practised. Link still had some difficulties with the powerful spin attack, which consisted in performing a quick 360° spin, sword extended, in order to dispatch a little group of small enemies in front of you or to disarm a bigger foe, preferably sending it reeling away and rendering it disoriented for you to kill it quickly.

''No, no! You have to hold your sword firmly and concentrate on your spin.'' Rusl said after Link had sent his blade fly off for the fourth time already. The kids were now all taking cover behind a tree, at enough distance from Link and his stubborn blade. Grunting, he picked it up and positioned himself again, this time spinning with a yell while he clutched the hilt as tightly as he could. The weapon crashed into the metal shirt of the training puppet, bended the stick on which it was built, tore the shirt away and left a deep fissure in the nearby tree. Link lost the hold of his sword which stuck in the trunk, tumbled about from the verve of his spin and fell on his back, panting heavily. He had fuelled all his energy into the blow, but the result had not been what he expected. Sometimes, he realized, a good strike needed less energy to cause the damage wanted. Too much damage meant too much energy, obviously.

''Nice one.'' Rusl praised, to his great astonishment. The young ones were also shouting in applause excitingly from behind their tree. As Link looked up at him and Rusl sat down next to the resting youth, he explained. ''Well, you destroyed your puppet, but at least you managed a powerful spin attack without loosing your sword and sending it flying in every possible direction.''

''So this was right?'' Link asked, sitting up again. The older man nodded. ''That's it, son. We should quit for today, it's getting dark already. And you need to repair your mannequin for next time.'' he added in a teasing voice, causing Link to moan.

As he pulled his sword out of the tree trunk and Rusl picked up the torn metal shirt of the puppet, a squeak let them both spin around in alarm. There was that little monkey again, with the pink rose behind one ear, sitting on the ground and looking at them curiously. Link cocked his head, staring into the black eyes of the newcomer. ''There she is again.'' Malo said in an annoyed voice.

Rusl nodded and attempted a step in her direction, but the monkey flinched back a good yard, looking scared. ''Wait.'' Link said. ''We should lay down our weapons and offer her something.''

Rusl now chuckled. ''Do you seriously think this buddy knows what a sword is?'' Link, however, didn't listen to his sarcastic tone and lay his sword on the ground, making sure the monkey saw his move. The children got up and watched curiously while he went over to Epona's stable slowly, reached into her trough and pulled out a pear, for the horse didn't like pears very much. Now, however, the mare snorted in protest as Link approached the female monkey carefully, crouching down a little distance away from her and holding out the fruit.

The furry visitor eyed it with suspicion in her look, but hunger seemed to take the better part of her. Her feet felt their way towards Link's outstretched arm, her throat emitting a few bleeps of uncertainty, before one of her claws hacked the pear out of Link's grip and her teeth dug into it greedily. Beth giggled in happiness and Talo clapped his hands.

Link turned around. ''There's someone who's hungry.'' he stated to Rusl, who was looking very puzzled. As the youth straightened again and watched the monkey eat, Rusl spoke up. ''That's very strange. Monkeys normally can take care about themselves, but this one is completely famished. I just hope nothing happened in the temple.''

Link's mind set on the deku baba and the bokoblins again. ''Do you think it has something to do with the bokoblins roaming the forest?''

Rusl shrugged. ''It could, but that doesn't explain the incapacity of the monkeys to feed themselves. I will speak with the mayor about this, and propose a reconnaissance tour. We should have a look at what is wrong in Faron.''

Link nodded. ''I think I'll get to work repairing my mannequin, before it's getting dark.''

The blacksmith tapped him lightly on the shoulder before turning around and heading back to Ordon. ''If Bo agrees, be prepared. We'll march at one hour past sunrise.''

The children, now that the show was over and the monkey gone once more, also ambled back to the village, talking vividly about the animal intruder and the forthcoming reconnaissance tour. While Link crouched down and inspected his training puppet, however, a small, shy voice resounded from behind the tree. ''Link? Can I stay with you this evening?''

The young Hylian turned and peeped around the trunk. ''Of course, Colin. No need to hide.''

Colin came out of his hiding place and stepped up to his older brother, hands clapped in front of himself in shame. ''I'm sorry, but I feel lonely sometimes when the others don't wanna play with me.''

Link smiled. ''Well, you won't be lonely for long, soon you'll have a little brother or sister to protect. That's a big responsibility.''

Colin's mouth itched into a smile, which was something Link always cherished very much. It was rare that his symbolic brother performed a true smile. ''Do you really think so? Will I be a good big brother?''

''I'm sure of that. And you'll have someone to play with, so you won't be lonely any more.'' From the corner of his eyes, Link could see Colin's countenance turn worried again, from what he didn't know. But he would have his answer soon enough.

''Aren't you lonely sometimes?''

He tried to bite his lip and hide it at the same time from Colin's vigilant blue eyes. His hands quickly made a knot in the lace of the metal shirt holding it together at the side, brushed his left ear momentarily and found the hilt of his metal sword lying on the ground. ''I'm used to it.'' was all he could utter as a response.

While he stepped up his ladder and Colin followed him into his house, he mused over something to complement his statement. He was hanging the sheath on its respective nail when he spoke up again. ''I'm actually quite fond of solitude, you know. It gives me time to think, or to relax with no one to disturb me. I think I'm the kind of person who needs that.''

''So you don't mind if you're alone all the time?'' The fair-haired boy asked, looking puzzled. ''Well, I'm not alone now, am I?'' Link said with a grin. ''You want to help me cook?''

''Oh yeah!'' Colin shone with happiness and ran up to the kitchen area where Link handed him a big clay pot.

Time went slowly by, resulting in the sun to finally set for a night's rest and let the moon arise from the shadows to let its pale light illuminate the land. It was beautifully round tonight, with all the dots and hollows visible to any eye enjoying the silvery sight. Two pairs were, in fact, taking in the shine of the night with irises glimmering blue. One set of eyes young and innocent, the other glowing slightly in the pallid rays, looking on with silent, nearly feral resolution.

''Oh, have you seen that one?'' Colin's small finger pointed at yet another bright star with one smaller underneath it, right next to the flaming ball of white. ''What does it represent?''

''Ehm, I think that one is er … _Nayru's weeping eye_.'' Link read from his beloved Hylian history book.

''Why's it called like that?'' the young boy asked curiously.

''_Nayru's weeping eye symbolizes the pain and destruction Wisdom can cause if used unwisely. This constellation appeared during the Great Sealing War, when dark magicians abused of their powerful knowledge in sorcery granted by the Goddesses and turned against them in their insatiable desire to claim hold over the Sacred Realm._'' Link read, albeit a little stagnant. He mastered the ancient language when read silently, but when he had to translate it into Modern Hylian while reading aloud he simply lacked experience. Colin didn't seem to care at all, he was so fascinated by the stars and their story that he asked one question after another, giving Link barely time to breathe after a sentence.

He had found a wonderful chart with the constellations of Hyrule hidden away in one of the many chapters, and now they were both sitting on his little railing-less outside balcony built on top of the marquee over his door. From the window of his bed platform they had crawled onto it after a good supper of stew and bread, now sitting side-by-side and gazing into the night sky. Link had to agree, if you shared solitude with someone lonely, then the word took on an entirely different meaning. He felt at peace even if not being on his own, and by the happy, serene look on Colin's young face, he was enjoying his time as well.

The one thing Link loved above all was to make someone else happy.

After the moon had already wandered sluggishly around the crown of a tree in Link's yard, the boy next to him began to yawn. Link closed his book as he felt Colin's small body slump against his own, instead winding his free left arm around him.

''I'm glad you're my brother, Link.'' Colin mumbled drowsily without shifting. The youth's lips bend into a happy smile, his arm pressing the boy a little tighter against him. ''I'm glad _you_ are, little brother.''

The lad breathed another deep yawn and nodded slowly. ''Soon we'll have another one to care about. I hope it's a girl.''

''Ah? Why that?''

''Because we don't have a sister yet.'' Colin answered sleepily. ''And if she's as cool as Ilia, then she'll be the best sister in the world.''

Link couldn't help but chuckle. While Colin drifted off into a deep child's sleep, Link gazed into the sky once more, eyes shining like sapphires in the moonlight. ''Yes.'' he said softly. ''That she'll be.''

000


	5. Chapter 4 - The Threat Grows in Size

**Chapter 4 – The Threat Grows in Size**

''Harold? Gertie?'' Link called while he knocked at the old oak door. A good moment later, the old farmer opened it with a creak – where Link couldn't tell if it came from the door or from Harold himself. ''Oh Link! Such a pleasant surprise. Please, come in, Gertie just made some stew.''

''Thanks, but I'd like to ask you a favour.'' the youth quickly answered, lowering his gaze to the one of Harold. ''Of course, lad, what do you need? Just nothing that has to do with goat herding, I'm too old to ride a horse.'' he chuckled in his scratchy voice.

Link smiled. ''No, I wanted to ask you if you could lend me your bestiary. Uli told me just now you had one with the creatures of Faron.''

''Oooh! Now that's an interesting book, laddie.'' While the elder turned around and walked into his house again, Link following him a little awkwardly, Harold lost himself in a tale of his travels through Faron and Ordona and all the interesting creatures he had sketched there.

''Who is it, treasure?'' came Gertie's voice from the kitchen. ''Young Link who wants my bestiary, sweety!'' Harold squeaked as a response, and Link really had to force himself not to grin in amusement. The two weren't the youngest any more, and how their voices swept to each other in a volume that would have let the trees drop their leaves in fright, they had more and more difficulties with their hearing. Link didn't blame them, he just followed Harold and quickly glanced into the kitchen to wave at Gertie in greeting.

''Oh Link! How good to see you, would you like to have some stew?''

Link huffed in relief as he stepped out of their house again, half an hour later with the big volume in his arms. As kind as the two old fellows were, sometimes they just didn't know when to give up with their friendly offers of stew or milk or another super interesting book or about showing him their weaving or the pumpkins they had stored over the winter or … Link was just glad he had been able to say his goodnights politely, as always, without seeming rude to leave them so quickly once more.

Arrived at his house, he raced to his table and opened the book with a hand driven by curiosity. Hopefully Harold had made a drawing of the bokoblins as well that had invaded Ordon about seventeen years ago.

He had.

0

Dawn came quickly in the early hours, bathing the forest in a sea of orange. As Link stepped outside his house, the five others were already awaiting for him. ''You all ready?'' Rusl asked and patted his shoulder. Link nodded as he joined Fado, Jaggle, Moe and Harold on the road leading out of Ordon. The old man who had even brought his walking stick tapped Link's back. ''So? How's my bestiary?''

''Very interesting.'' Link answered and smiled. Till late night he had read in the book, marvelling at the beautiful drawings of Faron's animals and monsters. It had been Harold who had taught him how to draw as a child.

''Okay, comrades, we have a long day before us.'' Rusl's strong voice echoed over to them. ''Our destination is Faron Spring and our objective is to investigate the state of the woods. Whatever you see is abnormal to you, tell the others and myself, and make notes. Well then, let get going!''

And with those final words, the men of Ordon were off. Link was immediately positioned at the front with his sharp eyes and footprint reading skills, right next to Rusl who led the troupe. The young Hylian had his bow strapped over his shoulder as well as his sword and a knife. He wanted to be prepared for whatever awaited them in the gloomy forest ahead.

The other men were chatting gleefully about, and Jaggle even intoned a merry farmer's song. Rusl and Link smiled at each other as they listened to the men sing behind them about the reaping of pumpkins, herding of goats and the looks of pretty farm girls. Link thought that it would have been amazing if he had brought his hylian flute along, but he preferred to keep his attention locked on the path and the trees around them.

They soon passed one of his favourite spots, where the small forest path joined with the big dirt road leading straight through Faron, over the Faron River on a rather imposing bridge, and into Hyrule. On the verge of the so-called Southern Road stood an old pole with six signs nailed clumsily on it. The three pointing in the direction from which they came from read 'Ordon', 'Ordonafawn', and 'Timberfell' written with black paint onto the darkened wood planks.

The sister village of his native hamlet, Ordonafawn, was an even smaller community of farmers and goat breeders, encircled by a garden of hills, low and steep alike, and which got its name from the unusual tradition of bringing up small newborn goats before selling them to the kingdom. Thanks to the mountains around it, the village possessed a number of caverns which could be heated in winter, allowing the baby goats to pass safely through a mordant cold. Ordon itself always brought their fawns to the mountain village for a cosy winter, in exchange for grain and provisions. Thus, the relation between the two communities was a close brotherhood woven together by the tradition and pleasure of breeding the finest goats in the land.

Far to the east, lost in the middle of the mighty trees of Faron, laid the other town called Timberfell. In this idyllic place, the houses were numerous and entirely out of wood, built pursuant to a life-long habit of living in a dense forest … right into the trees themselves! Tree-houses like those in Timberfell could not be found elsewhere, and the modest home Link had carved into his protective trunk was no comparison to those wonders of craftsmanship. Taking the incredible extent of the Faronian trees as base, you could set your eyes on a structure that seemed to melt together with the trunk; walls curved with bark coating them, roofs like a treetop on their own, it was hard to distinguish which was tree and which was with nails attached to it. Had it not been for the rustling human activity buzzing like cheerful bees in the crowns, walking up and down the rope bridges and sending clouds of steam into the air, you could have passed right underneath Timberfell without noticing what you missed.

The workers of the wooden town were master tree fellers, carpenters, carvers and raft makers. Their floats, though small in shape, carried an entire marketplace on their decks packed with every possible outcome of a wooden branch, plank or trunk you could think of. While the axe-bearers sat off to a hard day of work, women sat down to work on their benches, letting their magical hands and knives form the wood into what would become the merchandise of Timberfell's traders, who would set off on the elaborate rafts, crates filled with wooden objects stored under their tents, and set sail – or rather oar – along the Ordona Runnel to join the Faron River. On this large current they would float lazily for several days, and if it had rained they would arrive soaked wet in the biggest mass of water Hyrule possessed; Lake Hylia.

Link had been to Timberfell once, and it was from there that the idea of a tree-house had even occurred to him. He smiled as he remembered talking to one of the hairy tree-fellers, so intimidated by his gruff voice that his ears had flattened to his head. They were the biggest, furriest and friendliest human beings he had ever met in Faron.

''Rusl, we should go to Timberfell again one day, and see how they're doing.'' Link addressed his father figure, who nodded eagerly. ''I wonder if Dan and his wife are still on the tree plantations, I remember they wanted to open they own workshop to make instruments. Hah, do you think they'll ask me to forge their strings for the guitars and violins?'' Link smiled and shrugged. ''Possible.''

As Link looked back to the wry pole with the signs, he read the three others pointing north. The Southern Road, leading straight ahead, would take you in a matter of days to Palaguard, but if you stopped by the bridge crossing the river, you'd see the sign saying 'Bando' turn left as if either entering the woods or following the stream. In fact, it was a ship at which the dart pointed, a large merchant vessel docked at a big store house. 'Red Lion' was written in gold on its crimson side, and the bargee, clad in a red sailor's tunic, would cry exactly at two hours past sunrise: ''Aaaall abooooard! The 'Red Lion' is setting saaaaiiil for Bandooo!'' Then some stray passengers would quickly sprint up the plank, the large rope would be lifted from its resting place, and the proud vessel would claw off the shore, packed with grain sacks, vegetable barrels, fruit baskets, and all sorts of sundries which you couldn't find in a town built on the surface of a large river.

It was exactly that; a town built right on the water's surface. Wood houses stringing along the shore on spindly poles sticking out of the water, in eternal shadow from the planked floors above. You could think of houses with legs, wading awkwardly in the sand searching for a place to settle down. But they never did, instead humans filled their space with happy laughter, steaming chimneys, constant rasping of slicers on long branches which would become harpoons, and the smell of fish. Fish was everywhere, in the water, on the shore in baskets, on the hooks at the children's fishing rods, in the kitchens, in the pots … even above the entrance doors! Well, at least it was just a tooth. In Bando, it brought luck to have a tooth of a Hylian Loach attached to a piece of leather over your front door, to keep the evil spirits of the night away. The Hylian Loach was a very rare, nearly legendary fish, immense in size and very hard to catch, since it could be found only in very specific water, at a very specific time of summer. The chieftains of Bando had passed the teeth down from generation to generation, always distributing them to newcomers or children maturing to adults.

They were really lucky that a Hylian Loach had that many teeth!, Link thought.

The last sign was the one expected, and the one that always let Link's blood pump faster through his veins. 'Hyrule'!

''Stay alert, son.'' Rusl interrupted his longing stare towards the sign, and tapped the Hylian on the shoulder. ''Don't worry, only two weeks to hold on, and you'll see your precious Hyrule.''

Link smiled at him briefly before setting his blue gaze on the dirt road. He was right, only two weeks, and his biggest dream would come true. At that thought he could not prevent the shiver of anticipation buzz through his body. _Only two weeks_, his mind marvelled.

They were soon leaving the Southern Road and diving deeply into the forest, taking a narrow path seldom used. As soon as the grey trunks and canopies encircled them, the men became quiet as they marched along, letting their look dart around them. Link was sure they felt it too, this queer, misty sensation of uncanniness nagging at their bones and seeming to lurk in the shadows, waiting for them to lower their guard. He caught himself multiple times stroking the hilt of the knife at his belt, and presumed it was an instinct of his that seeked comfort in something which he could trust. The sword still being pretty new, he wanted to use it only when it was absolutely necessary.

They soon passed the first bigger trees of Faron which could measure over a hundred yards in height sometimes, and become so large that an entire temple could find space in their width. That, Link knew, was the case of the Forest Temple, safe haven to the monkeys who protected the treasure within. No one knew what it was, this arcane artefact, but many speculations had already been made by adventurers and archaeologists. A hundredweight of gold, a magical boomerang, the legendary platinum rupee worth more than all the rupees in the kingdom, and much other rubbish. Link, having already passed by this mysterious building, had always felt something otherworldly and … dark when he got near the entrance. He thought that this treasure was guarded because it was not gold or wealth, but something dangerous, not meant to fall into human hands.

His musings were interrupted by Rusl stopping next to him, and involuntarily Link's hand shot to his sword. Didn't he say he wanted to wait before using it? His own body betrayed his fear, it seemed.

''Hey Rus, what's it?'' Jaggle called from behind. The blacksmith was looking thoughtfully at the high trees surrounding them, and Link followed his gaze. Up in the crown, he could make out something silver and filigree. ''What's that?'' he asked his surrogate father.

''Don't know. Looks a little like a web to me. But it looks bigger than the ones made by Walltulas, and too high up. We better take note of this and look out for more of those.''

Walltulas were the spiderlike creatures sometimes creeping up Link's ladder to his home, but they were easily dispatched. Link concluded with a shiver that, if this web was bigger, then the spider which made it must be much bigger as well.

''Harold, do you recognize this web?'' Rusl called, and the little old man stepped up to them and gazed into the tree. ''Uh, my eyes are not as good as before, but if I'm not mistaken this should be a Skulltula's web.''

A Skulltula then. Link felt rather clever to have asked Harold for his bestiary the day before, because now he knew that a Skulltula was a big, dangerous spider which got its name from the skull-like design on its rear. A predator who lurked in the trees for helpless prey, which it caught by lowering down on a silvery thread and biting at its neck. Since every spider bite was poisonous, then it would end rather painfully for the victim.

A new shiver ran down Link's spine as he let his look wander around further into the treetops. His hand groped for Rusl's sleeve, the other pointing into the canopies as soon as he obtained the smith's attention.

''Oh Farore …'' Rusl mumbled, laying his gaze on an entire forest of white thread woven into the leaves and branches. ''This looks rather grim.''

They decided to leave the stray path on which they found themselves and join the Southern Road once more for better safety. Link felt instantly at ease as soon as they stepped out of the dense trees and onto the big dirt road. This would lead them to the Temple if they continued north, but Faron Spring was closer and easier to reach. Besides, it was already late morning, time running by quickly. The blacksmith had said that they should be back before dusk, and Link agreed gladly; he did not fancy the idea of sleeping under a Skulltula's web, with the hungry creature ready to release its venom into his carotid artery. There were better ways to die than ending in a spider's belly, filled with poison.

Their journey was soon interrupted by the glistening sight of Faron Spring, and the men behind him let out relieved sighs. The spring was bigger than the one of Ordona, with small waterfalls garrulously emptying themselves into the white, sandy basin. Link had always noticed a strange shine to the crystal clear water, pulsating along with the gentle waves rolling over the sand. After all, it was called a Light Spirit's Spring for a reason.

They ate their dinner composed of bread, cheese and dried meat at the edge of the water, already chattering again as if nothing had happened. Their mood was not even dimmed as Rusl called their attention and put up groups of two to check on the area around the spring. Fado, a real nut with the sword, was instructed to go with Rusl while Harold, having lost much of his dexterity and quickness from his youthful years and would need a young swordsman to defend him, was to be accompanied by Link.

''Link, my lad, I'm slowly getting too old for this.'' the old man said while they went off to the north through the trees. There was no path here except the Southern Road to their right, barely visible through the thicket. They would just go and have a look around to see the state of the forest there.

''Don't say that.'' Link protested kindly while he brushed away a low hanging branch. ''I'm sure that you could kill one of those Skulltulas should they ever dare to attack you.''

Harold's sparsely present teeth made an appearance as he grinned broadly. ''Oh boy, my bones are getting heavy, I wouldn't stand a chance. But I'm glad you're with me. You're the best swordsman ever I've encountered in my life. You have talent, a strong will and a courageous heart. They would not know what bit them.'' He cackled a laugh at his own joke, making Link chuckle along.

''Well, I've still got a lot to learn until I'm as good as Rusl.'' he countered, feeling uncomfortable at those many compliments. Harold nodded. ''Yes, of course. You never stop learning.''

As the ground fell a little and the old man nearly tripped over his own feet, Link quickly hurried to help him. With a groan Harold made it to a tree where he supported himself. ''Just let me catch my breath, laddie. I'll be all right.''

The young Hylian nodded and leaned his back against another trunk, playing absent-mindedly with his knife. The wind was warm in this early afternoon, so his bare right arm where the other detached sleeve was once fastened wasn't teased by a cold breeze. He closed his eyes and listened to the rustling of leaves above him, breathing in the fresh air through his nose.

''Uh, my back.'' Harold groaned next to him, and Link's lips arched upwards. He momentarily separated his lids to see his companion bend back with a moan, hands placed at his sides and holding themselves on his ornate green belt which held his red towel in place.

Link's eyes closed again, but suddenly he frowned, reopening them immediately and looking ahead. The wind had turned slightly and was carrying an odd smell over to them, as if something was decaying a little distance away. He pushed himself away from the trunk, pulling out his sword in alarm.

''Did you see something?'' Harold called behind him, also pulling his skewer out. If his back was still aching, he was a master at hiding it now.

''Not really, I rather smelt something. Do you smell it too?'' The farmer shook his head, but Link didn't see it as he walked steadily through the trees. After a little while he turned around and addressed the old man. ''You better stay close to me, it could be dangerous.''

''Don't you worry about me, boy. I'm right behind you watching your back.''

It didn't last long until they stepped into a bigger area of the wood. The trees blocked the sight of the sky with their crowns, rendering the space eerie and dark. They were now covering their noses with their hands as the stench intensified, nearly gagging on the putrid air. Link had thought of bringing his lantern with him, and momentarily crouched down to tap his flint skilfully on the metal rim where the wick was attached, producing a spark which caught itself in the burnt cloth soaked in oil and went immediately aflame.

Harold and Link then slowly advanced into the coppice, past thick trunks and black bushes. Dense fog was now slowly creeping up their legs and seemed to grab at them, but Link quickly shooed this image away. As the air around them got thicker and thicker, suffocatingly loaded with water, Harold began to cough. Link soon joined him as they marched boldly along, their voices echoing in the darkness around them frighteningly.

Suddenly the path cleared, and they were greeted by a sight that let them shout out behind their palms. Violet, poisonous looking fog wafted about at the base of the trees, shielding the ground completely from view. The small fire of the lantern dimmed a little from lack of oxygen, and Link grabbed Harold by the hand, pulling him back into the dense woods.

''What on Din's holy earth was that?'' Harold exclaimed as soon as his coughing had calmed, his voice a little higher from fright. Link was still dragging him along the way, sheathing his sword and blowing his lantern out. ''Link! Where are we going?''

''Away from there! That fog was poisonous, I would bet my flute on it.'' he huffed, looking around himself to find the path towards the Spirit Spring once more. The light emanating from the water stung in his eyes as they stepped out of the trees, but his heart settled down the moment he saw the comforting rays shine joyfully over the surface.

''Dear Nayru, you two look as if you just saw a ghost in there!'' Moe said, stepping over to them with Jaggle at his heel. Link and Harold were both panting from the quick run through the thicket, the older man leaning over as he huffed and puffed. ''I'm too old for this, I'm too old for this …''

''Did you find something?''

Link nodded as he explained their find. ''I'm sure it's poisonous, otherwise it wouldn't have had this shade of violet.''

Moe, a tall man with hair as black as a crow and hands as scabrous as its coarse cry, leaned to the side as he glanced past Link's shoulder. ''Where was it exactly?''

''A quarter of a mile north from here, I'd say. But I wouldn't go there, Moe.'' Link warned. ''We don't know what it does to someone if inhaled.''

''Well, in any case we should wait for Rusl.'' The farmer had just closed his mouth when the bearded blacksmith stepped into the light of the water, Fado struggling with the spiked branches of a boysenberry bush that dug themselves into his ankles.

''Wait for me? Have you found something?''

Harold answered. ''The clever lad here smelt something amiss, and when we went there to investigate, we found this violet, foul smelling fog.''

Rusl frowned sternly while his fingers kneaded his chin. ''Harold, you stay here with Fado and catch your breath, Jaggle and Moe, you're coming with me and Link. Son, would you show us where that was?''

Link acquiesced wordlessly while taking his flint-stone out of his pouch again and tapping the lantern to lit it. Holding it high, he ducked under a branch as he lead the way into the woods once more. His entire being was revolting against his legs taking him step by step nearer to the threat, but his courage and sense of duty were stronger than his innate instinct. Soon his nose was perceiving the rotten smell once more, and little after the men behind him let out shouts of disgust.

''Try not to breathe it in too much!'' Rusl called to the others marching behind them, and muffled replies of agreement came back to him. As Link led them to the place where violet light emanated creepily over to them, they were all coughing violently in choir.

''Okay back! Back quickly!'' Rusl bellowed over the coughing and positioned himself at the rear of their party, Link leading the way once more. As soon as they were at enough distance and the forest began to clear again, the leader of their troupe halted them.

''Has anyone seen such a fog before? Anyone?'' But shaken heads was all he received as an answer.

''Okay. Someone take note of where this was. Another remembers please where the Skulltula webs were, and we'll take the report to Bo. If you see anything else on the way back which I miss, tell me instantly. We march back immediately, this is getting too dangerous.''

Link was flabbergasted. Nothing had ever been able to scare his father figure, except the one time he ran away from home, being twelve years old. But this was a fear far deeper and stronger, for he could well see that Rusl did not only fear for them and himself, but for the entire village. If ever these threats were to become more frequent, they would seriously have to think about building stronger gates and sowing more plants to come around without having to buy merchandise. If the roads were to become impassible as well, then they would have to get accommodated to a rough time living isolated from the world. At least until the danger was over.

0

Ordon was in uproar. As soon as the bold men crossed the threshold to the little farming village, the women ran over to them and greeted their husbands or brothers with warm embraces and kisses. Ilia was immediately at Link's side, winding her thin arms around his broad chest which caught the young Hylian completely unawares. While she scolded him vividly about why he hadn't told her and that she had been worried to death, the mayor put an end to it by clapping his huge hands and catching all their attention.

''Welcome back, my friends! You are earlier than we thought. Has something happened?''

Rusl walked over to his side and whispered something in his ear, at which the stout man nodded while pursing his brows. As they went over to the mayor's big house, the villagers dispersed all in different directions, the women asking worried questions to the men who were just glad a warm meal and a mug of ale awaited them in their homes.

''Link, are you hungry? I made some soup while you were away.'' Ilia said, smiling up at him. Link shot her a half surprised, half thankful look as he nodded eagerly, and they both scrambled up his ladder.

In his house hung a delicious scent of pumpkin soup with coriander, and Link's mouth watered as he gazed into the pot hanging over the fire.

''You are a heroine, you know that?'' Link smiled, sitting down and receiving a steaming plate and a spoon from Ilia, who was grinning from ear to ear. ''I'm afraid I used up all your coriander, but I've seen some on the way to Ordonafawn when we fetched the calves back last week. Only half a mile from here.''

''Don't worry, we'll get some on another day.''

While Link ate, the young woman let her gaze wander around his house. All was clean and tidy as always, she noticed with a smile, but as her look fell on Link once more, she saw mud traces and dirt hang all over him. ''You really need to have a wash.'' she teased.

The youth swallowed and looked at her as if offended. ''I just came back! You can't expect me to be as clean as a rupee five minutes after I stumbled out of the woods.'' Ilia laughed her crystalline, unforgettable laugh which instantly appeased his mood. She got up and rummaged through his cupboards, pulling out a second cauldron.

''I'll set up water for you then, and leave you to your housework.'' she giggled while she hung the pot on the hearth. Link sighed while he shovelled spoon after spoon into his hungry mouth, nodding. ''Thank you. But let me finish please, it was a long day.''

Ilia sat down once more next to him. ''So, what did you find? Rusl was looking quite scared earlier.''

''He had reason to. First we came across an entire network of spider webs in the trees, and when we arrived at Faron Spring, me and Harold found this strange violet fog. I have never been as scared as then.''

The girl clapped a hand over her mouth in disgust. ''Violet fog? Ew, sounds poisonous. Oh please, tell me you haven't breathed it in!'' she wailed, softly juggling at his shoulder. ''The Deku Baba's poison was enough already.''

''Hey, I'm not as stupid as that!'' Link defended himself. ''I was the one pulling Harold away from there in the first place. He was just rooted to the ground and didn't move. I think he was terrified.''

''Understandable. But you weren't, were you?'' Ilia patted his arm with a cheeky grin, and Link shot her an annoyed look. ''Of course I were, how would you react if you came across a foul smelling, purple fog which makes you cough?''

''Of course, Link. Just teasing you.'' Ilia laughed. As Link scooped another spoon into his mouth and moan in delight, eyes closed, she grinned. ''Did I make it right? I did just as you told me, with not too much salt and more coriander.''

''It's perfect.'' Link said after having swallowed. ''Just what I needed after such a trip.''

He continued his meal for a little time, wherein Ilia remained seated next to him and looked at her hands in her lap. Link only noticed her prolonged silence when he helped himself with another load of soup, and sitting down he placed a gentle hand on her arm. ''Hey, are you okay?''

Ilia lifted her head but evaded his look, quickly wiping her eyes. ''I'm all right. Don't worry.'' She stood up abruptly and headed for the door before Link could reply. ''I have to go now, Father surely wonders where I am. Good night Link.'' And without a last glance at him, she was gone.

The long-eared lad sat at his table for a while, looking confused. His life-long friend had never acted like this towards him, and he had clearly seen her eyes shed a few tears the moment she had stood up. What was it that upset her so much? He was all right, nothing had happened to him on that journey into the woods, so she had nothing to worry about. Sometimes he wondered if he would ever understand the complex way of thinking girls and women performed all the time. He just hoped that Ilia would tell him whatever troubled her, before it consumed her entirely. There, he spoke out of experience.

0

He was roused out of his sleep early next day, for Rusl and Jaggle needed help in reinforcing the gates to the entrances of Ordon. While Link and Epona sat off into the forest to fetch the wood needed, always remaining in earshot for safety, the two men brought all their working tools from their workshops and hammered away on the gates. Jaggle was the hobby carpenter in Ordon, always tasked with the building of wheelbarrows, bowls, plates, the repairing of Gertie's loom or the fixing of a stable door at the ranch.

''Link, me lad, would ye come over to me workshop this afternoon and lend me a hand for the shield I'm meakin'?'' he asked the youth as all three of them worked on the gate.

''Of course, but what's it for? We don't need a shield.'' Link inquired, and Jaggle tapped his nose with a grin. ''Ah, that, me lad, is for king Gustaf. While Rusl is meakin' a beau'iful sword, the mayor tasked me to build the finest wooden shield the kin'dom has ever seen. I especially travelled over to Timbe'fell last week to get some wood and advice from the folk there. I have it in me house, if ye'd like to have a look. After all, it's ye who's goin' to deliver i'.''

Link got big eyes. ''Of course, I'd love to!'' he said, grinning from ear to ear.

So, after the two gates leading out into the wilderness had been securely reinforced and locked, Link and Jaggle walked over to the carpenter's house. The watermill attached to the back of the big, rural building rumbled peacefully away as they passed by. Jaggle and his family were very industrious, for next to farming and working on wood, the stubby little man also ran the mill in the village which ground the corn from the field. His wife Pergie had a successful business in the making of goat cheese, jam and the reaping of pumpkins, passing nearly all her days behind her hearth and concocting the finest products in town. Next to all this work, they were parents to the two mischievous brats Talo and Malo, too young yet to understand responsibility. Link really felt a huge respect towards them and the way they managed all this work. They were a really good team, just like himself and his mare.

''So, let's have a look.'' Jaggle said as he ushered Link inside of his workshop. It wasn't big, but had all the tools needed to do something beautiful out of wood. Hammers, nails, saws, slicers, a manual drill for holes, piles of sandpaper, chisels in various sizes, a nice practical workbench and loads of sawdust everywhere.

On the bench there sat a big piece of dark, old wood, but Link could already see the outlines of a shield at the edges. ''It's not finish' ye', I still need to form the rim and meake the attachments for the arm. I had thought that ye woul' like to do the pain'ing, being the artist here and all tha'.''

Link chuckled. ''I'm not an artist, you are. It looks beautiful.'' he said while stroking a hand over the gently curved, strong wood. As he lifted it, he noticed that it was quite heavy, and deduced the material to be hardwood for better resistance.

''So, here's ye parchmen', and a pencil is over there.'' Jaggle said and handed him a roll, all the while pushing Link on a chair at a small desk. ''Could ye draw me a nice pa'ern which includes the goat horns? Do it as ye like, but big enough so that ye can see i'. I wanted to do an engreaving here at the two ends, and maybe a third one at the top. They can be whatever crosses ye mind. Think ye can do tha'?''

''I'll try. Let me just copy the outlines and I'll see what I can do.'' Link answered, unfolding the roll and with quick moves sketching the outlines of the shield onto it.

For about half an hour, he scratched and sketched away at the desk while Jaggle sliced at the rim which would encircle the curved area of the shield. The soft noises of their activities melt together in the late morning sun shining through the window, making the atmosphere in the workshop nicely convivial and pleasant.

Jaggle was grinding the rim with sandpaper and whistling a merry tune when Link stood up, placing the pencil tidily back on the desk. ''Here, Jaggle. What do you think?''

The carpenter dropped the sandpaper on the workbench, wiped his sawdust-covered hands on a towel and went over to have a look at Link's parchment which he held out open. ''Oh, wha' an artwork!'' he exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

In the middle of the shield, Link had drawn the pair of traditional Ordon goat horns, striated the entire length and becoming larger near the bottom. The real goats possessed two white stripes on their forehead, which Link had also depicted in between the ends of the horns. The muzzle was a large dot of black, encircling the two stripes and coming up to the horns in form of two stubby lines forming the eyes.. Since the horns were shaped like a circle, there had been a lot of space in this round area which he had filled with two curves lines symbolizing the goat's ears. To finish the crest, he had drawn the outline of the animal's head with some fur sticking out roughly, making the sketch look like a friendly goat looking at you from the front, with the horn towering over its smaller head.

All of it was drawn so that you had to look twice before noticing what it was and making out the goat head.

''I'm impressed!'' Jaggle said, tapping the lad on the shoulder. Link nodded his thanks and pointed at the top of the sketched shield. ''I drew a pattern here, and the tree of Ordona in the middle. Is that okay for the engraving?''

The tree of Ordona was a depiction of a leaf tree resembling a fir, with many branches departing from a tall centre to form a rough cone. It was the symbol of protection for the goat herders in Ordona Province, its origin coming from the many firs and pines found in the South. It could be found mostly on the gates leading in and out of Ordon, to keep the evil spirits aloof. Fado also wore this picture on his apron which identified him as the master goat herder, whereas Link only had a leaf of the tree on his apron, since he was just the ranch hand.

''That's fantastic.'' Jaggle approved. ''It's traditional but innova'ive. Bo will love i'! Ye know wha', ye can directly pain' it on the shield.''

He went over to a small cupboard and pulled out a dirty pot with a brush in it. As Link gazed into the bucket, he saw a brown, viscous liquid with a shining surface, and his nose could perceive an earthy smell.

''What's it made of?'' he asked Jaggle who was busy wiping the shield with a cloth to remove all the dust remaining from the grinding.

''Dirt mixed with bee-wax and some oil. It shoul' hold quite well on the wood.'' he answered and handed the shield to Link.

The carpenter got to work with a leather strap which he would fix right in the middle of the backside so that an arm could fit through. Link, during that time, stood at the workbench and copied the patter from the parchment onto the shield. He stood leaning right over the piece of wood for a better view, his left hand dipping the large brush into the pot and tracing carefully the lines he had drawn earlier onto the shield.

Soon, they were both interrupted by a knock on the thick workshop door, and Jaggle went over to open. ''Ah, Hanch, Ye're right on time. I've fixed i' and it's ready for action.''

''Oh, eh, yes, thanks.'' came the squeaky, hesitant reply of the even smaller man at the door. Hanch was the husband of Sera the shopkeeper, and was next to a farmer also an apiarist and a beer brewer. Strangely, he never drank much of his famous honey ale but preferred to stick to milk or water. Mayor Bo was a big adorer of the sweet ale Hanch offered, hence his huge belly. Link had tried a sip once during a spring feast, but the bittersweet taste had made him cough and spit it out once again. Since then the lad had always refused any alcoholic drink, and sometimes seeing the state in which the men of Ordon were after three or four mugs, he preferred to stay clean anyway.

Behind the small, bearded man in the doorframe, his daughter Beth stepped up to greet Jaggle, getting a huge grin on her face the moment she saw Link. ''Hi Link! What are you doing here?'' she chimed, and Link tried with all his might to suppress a despairing groan, instead forcing a smile across his lips. ''I'm painting the wooden shield Jaggle is making for Hyrule.''

''Oh! That's soooo beautiful!'' she squealed and hopped over at Link's side. ''I wish I could draw as good as you!''

It wasn't a secret in Ordon that the twelve-year-old farm girl had a crush on Link. Even he knew it, and since he learned it he lived in constant chicanery from her in a way that let him nearly flinch back in shock. She sometimes just came up to him silently when he was busy practising swordplay or scrubbing Epona. She would then melodically sing 'Hi Link!', making him jump in fright every time. She was the only one in the village quiet enough to creep up to him and not be heard by his sharp ears. Perhaps it was because she was just stealthy enough, or she knew to find exactly the right moment where he was too busy to notice every sound around him. It was very annoying, but Link never complained; for this he was too kind-hearted, and he could never shout at someone younger than him. It was just not his nature.

''Thanks.'' he said, trying to resume his painting while ignoring Beth's pestering presence. ''You just have to practise, that's all.''

''Oh, but _you _have talent in everything!'' she said with marvel in her voice. ''You can do soooo much, like horse riding, fighting, painting, playing the flute …''

''Eh, honey, don't disturb Link, please, he's doing a very important job.'' Hanch tried to interrupt, but the little girl did not lend him an ear. She continued babbling all sorts of feats Link had already done and which were _soooo_ fantastic and incredible. The poor Hylian screwed up his eyes in silent agony when Beth was not watching, shutting his mind completely down to the level of his paintbrush and just emitting occasional grunts of approval whenever Beth breathed deeply in between sentences, to make her think he listened to every word she said. Over the years he had become quite skilled at that, but it was still very annoying.

Jaggle and Hanch didn't help him much, they were leaned over a wooden structure resembling a little house with four legs at each corner and small openings all over the front wall. Link knew that bees loved to build their nests in those, and deduced that Jaggle had either crafted a new bee-house for Hanch or had repaired an old one. By the brown, dirty fir wood which composed the house, he presumed it was repaired.

''Oh! I see it now! It's a goat!'' Beth exclaimed next to him, and Link quickly looked to the side to roll his eyes before gazing at her with a strained smile. ''Wow, you were quick in seeing it. Jaggle took longer.''

Beth's eyes clouded over in happiness, and Link already thought she might faint. He quickly made a mental note to avoid making her compliments henceforward; he didn't fancy the idea of having to rouse her back to senses and look in her eyes like the rescuing prince. He was already enough of that.

Jaggle and Hanch turned around after a couple of minutes, the latter holding his new bee-house awkwardly in his short arms. ''Eh, you're coming darling?'' he squeaked from behind it to his daughter. Beth shot a last, longing glance to Link before turning around and hopping after her father. As Link let out a relieved sigh, Jaggle appeared at his side. ''So? How's i'?''

''All finished. You can do the engraving when it's dry.''

''Great job, lad, it's beau'iful! I'll show it to Bo as soon as it's ready, he'll be as happy as Neayru herself!''

Link shot a glance out of the window, where the sun was towering high in the sky. ''Got to go, Jaggle. Epona needs her washing and I've still got some housework to do.''

The miller laughed. ''You really have to get yourself a girl, Link! Housework's for lassies!''

The youth shot him a cheeky glance while he went to the door. ''I've got my girl already. She pulls entire trees out of the woods and carries me wherever I need to go. You can't want more from a lass, eh?''

Jaggle let out a booming laughed behind him as Link waved in goodbye before leaving the house with a smile.

0

His girl was waiting patiently as well as his laundry, the dusty floor, the dirty crockery in the sink, his training puppet which he had managed to break to pieces once again and the goats on the ranch which he had to herd back into the barn at sundown. It would be a busy afternoon for him.

While he was sitting in his yard in front of Epona's stable, a big wash basin with hot water, soap and most of his clothes in it, positioned between his legs where he was kneading them vigorously, the mare behind him started to stomp.

He had taken her to the spring not far in the woods for washing, and she was now drying while grazing unattached on the small clearing that was his yard. Her glistening fur twitched as she flexed her muscles, emitting a few worried sounds. Link looked over to her, saw her fidgeting around and quickly stood up to hold her by the reins. ''Hey girl, what's the matter? It's all right.'' he said calmly.

However, she suddenly whinnied and reared up to her full length, causing Link to stumble back. Her hooves missed him by inches as she turned around and galloped to the trees, stopping while rearing up anew.

The young Hylian was reaching for his bow the moment he saw a bush tremble in front of Epona. A rumbling sound, guttural and disgusting, let his blood freeze instantly. Epona neighed as her hooves hit the bush forcefully, shredding the leaves and branches to pieces. A wail squeaked out as a shadow fled her angry moves, and Link dashed forward. ''Come on, Epona! After it!''

The horse was on her way, Link tumbling and staggering behind her through the trees. He could only make out a silhouette of a swaying figure which fled with quick steps, legs too short to be of much help to its escape. In its right hand, or whatever it was the creature possessed as arms, it held a long object that shone up occasionally in the rare light beams of the sun finding their way through the crowns.

Link's mind was reeling; that must be what he had seen on the drawings in Harold's bestiary, a bokoblin. He couldn't really see it because of its smaller shape disappearing all the time behind bushes or trunks, but Epona was hard on the pursuit. She crashed through the coppice like mad, taking no notice of the destruction she was leaving behind. Her ears were flattened tightly to the head, as were Link's.

But the trees were particularly dense in this section of Ordona, and soon she had to skid to a halt abruptly because of lack of space for her huge shape to squeeze through. Link stopped as well as he saw the creature slide down a little hill and temporarily disappeared from his sight. Instead of following it, he readied an arrow on his string and pulled back hard, aiming at the base of the hill.

Soon, the frantic monster reappeared once more, still running clumsily as fast as it could. This fellow would not threaten Ordon ever again, Link though with teeth clenched tight. One eye screwed up, the other pointing sharply at his target, he released the shaft which soared through the air noiselessly. A gurgling shriek issued out of the bokoblin's drivelling mouth before it crashed down to the ground, the feathered weapon sticking out of its back.

Link huffed deeply and slung the longbow over his shoulder, tapping Epona's quaking flank. ''Well spotted, girl.'' he praised, panting. ''Now what should we do with this one?''

He took her reins and walked over to the carcass, crinkling his nose at the stench. He really wondered why he hadn't smelt the ill-minded foe himself as it had sneaked up to him earlier. He just now realized, as he saw the long knife in its claw, that it had tried to kill him, completely unaware while he was washing his clothes. Had it not been for Epona, he would have likely succumbed to that fate, for his fighting skills were still not powerful enough to defend himself in an ambush.

He decided to leave the corpse where it was and tell the mayor of the intruder; he was sure Bo would want to know about it and look for more of them. Yet as he turned around to mount his steed, Rusl and the stout leader were already running towards him.

''Colin saw you run off into the woods. What is that all about?'' Rusl asked as soon as he came up to him, but let out a disgusted grunt the moment he saw the carcass lying in a grotesque heap on the moist forest earth. ''Is it dead?''

''Yes.'' Link assured. ''It was on the run, but I shot it down before it could escape.''

''Very good, lad.'' Bo praised, huffing and puffing in effort; his bellied form was more accustomed to merry talking and drink rather than a sprint through the forest. ''Have you seen more of them?''

Link shook his head. ''No, just this one. It was sneaking up to me in my yard, but Epona noticed it in time. You saved my life, lass!'' he added, tapping on her neck affectionately. The horse was sniffing at the bokoblin and quickly flinched back with a snort.

''It was trying to kill you?'' Rusl asked incredulously. His voice was printed with worry and fright.

''I guess so, it had a knife and was hiding in a bush, right behind me. But how did it come in? I thought the gates were impassible now.''

Bo let out a hum as he thought. ''Probably came in before you secured them. Dear Farore, I'm glad you found it. It could have attacked any one if not you! Rusl, I want you to take Jaggle and Moe and go look if there are any others, and chase them away.''

''Mayor, I can help too.'' Link proposed, but Bo shook his head. ''No lad, thank you for your offer, but you already did more than was necessary. Such tasks should not fall to you, my boy.''

Even if the mayor was right, Link felt a little disappointed. As strange as that might sound to him, he had been excited as he had chased that bokoblin, had maybe even enjoyed it. But he quickly shooed that thought away as it was already making its nest in his mind; he had killed that thing, and that was nothing to be proud of. Glad yes, because now it wouldn't threaten them any more, but he would never wish death to anyone, human, creature or monster alike. It was simply not his nature.

Sweet adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, making him light-headed and twitchy. If ever he'd encounter more of them on the way to Hyrule, he at least knew now that he could handle them. Looking down at the dead monster, he realized with a smile that, except for the sharp teeth and the wooden weapon they bore, they weren't as dangerous as he had thought.

How incredibly wrong he was, the poor lad!

000


	6. Chapter 5 - The Unknown Raids

**Chapter 5 – The Unknown Raids**

Two weeks passed by as if in a hurry, and the great day was approaching. The villagers could well sense the change of demeanour in their young Hylian the more the date came nearer, for he was constantly in a good mood, practised a lot more and always played his flute in the evenings. His strong mare also acted differently, as if she sensed that something new was coming. Link often took her to the spring for a wash and always came back soaked wet, presumably because Epona had been stung by a bug of fun and had shoved him into the water to make him join her in her bath. Link was sure that this was her way of displaying her anticipation.

The huge field in the mountains had been ploughed and sowed, so Link passed most of his days on the ranch and tended to his duties as a wrangler. Most of the time he cleaned the stables, made some repairs here and there and took the goats with Epona's aid into the mountains for a day where they'd find fresher grass. Fado, who owned the big paddock with the enormous barn and stable, often caught him whistling along while brushing the blue-grey fur of a goat, and just shook his head with a grin. Everyone in Ordon was happy for the lad and knew that Bo had made the right choice in sending him as representative. Even if the road to Hyrule had become quite dangerous lately, with those damned bokoblins roaming the forest paths and monsters like deku babas, spiders or the bat-like keese breeding in between the trees and attacking travellers, Link was enthusiastic that the journey would be great. Once he would get out of the huge forest, he was sure to enjoy the magnificent looks of the lands without constantly having to be on his guard and avoid monsters.

A three-noted, whistled melody resounded over the ranch and into Ordon, and little after the townsfolk tending to their duties in a bright spring day smiled and waved in greeting as the red beast came thundering through the village. Link was standing with Fado near the ranch gate and held it open for Epona to come through, before closing it quickly as some curious goats already approached with mischief glistening in their black eyes.

''Okay, pal, as usual.'' Fado said, making his way towards the barn while Link mounted Epona. He leaned forward momentarily and tapped her neck, adjusting himself in the big leather saddle. ''Okay girl, off we go.'' he said, nudging her flanks with his heels.

Epona had always been a stormy horse, and Link was the only one ever able to tame her. This was why he did the herding, for Fado simply didn't have the authority which the imposing mare possessed. Her bulky form and thick hooves were daunting enough for the stubborn goats to quickly trot away in fright. When Link then shouted and waved his hand as if to shoo them away, the bleating animals geared up to a sprint to reach as much distance possible between the horse and its rider. If Link sent them in the right direction they ran headlong into the barn where Fado pushed them into their stables. All three had a long experience in the herding of goats, so this afternoon the feat was accomplished in a matter of minutes.

The barn door banged shut as Fado stepped up to Link and Epona. ''What was it, tomorrow already, mate?''

Link jumped off skilfully. ''Yep. Tomorrow at midday we're off. I'm excited, you too lass?'' he said, looking up to the horse who stood calmly next to him and sniffed at the stubbly grass. The goats didn't leave much for her, and she snorted in an offended way.

''You're thinking with your belly, girl.'' Link chuckled, and Fado laughed while he patted her neck. ''Then don't let her wait. Run off you two, I'll do the rest.''

Link raised a hand in thanks as he mounted her again to trot out of the ranch.

He still had this afternoon left to practise a little with his sword, so he wanted to make full use of that time. If he'd really encounter some creatures on the road, he'd better be prepared. As they walked through the village, the people who were busy sowing in their gardens outside greeted him with waves and calls. The children screamed in excitement and lined up in front if him as if escorting him to his house.

''Will you practise again, Link?'' Beth asked while she walked next to him. Talo was in front of them and swinging his stick around like a sword, letting out occasional shouts of 'Yah!' and 'Hoy!' Malo shuffled along behind them, staying at enough distance from Epona's hind legs. Link had once made him aware of the danger that could occur when you passed behind a horse too close and could likely lose all your teeth with the aid of a huge hoof colliding with your jaw. Malo had been shocked deeply by that useful bit of information, and had vowed under his breath to never ride a horse in his life.

''Which one will you do today?'' Beth kept on asking as Link hopped off of Epona and emptied a sack of grain into her trough. ''Don't know yet. Probably the jump attack.'' he answered while retrieving his sword from its sheathe. He had accustomed himself by now with the weight of the blade and the fact to carry it with him all the time. It felt good to always have that additional weight on his back, for it radiated out this welcomed thought of security and the feeling that, as long as he carried it, he would be nearly invincible.

His poor training mannequin had really suffered over the last couple of weeks, and it didn't get a break this day as he started to slash away at it to get warm. Talo tried for about the hundredth time to imitate his moves on the nearby tree, his short stick clanking along with Link's metallic strikes. But because of his right-handedness, he had trouble following Link's movements and always mixed up his blows until he lost balance and landed on his buttocks with a huff.

''I'll never make it!'' he shouted, causing Link to back away from his puppet. ''Of course you will. I started off like you when I was eleven.''

''But you have a real sword, with metal and all that.'' Talo pouted. ''I want to have a real sword too!''

''Well, you can't have one, don't you understand that?'' Beth scolded him with arms stemmed into her sides. ''And Link is much more skilled than you, that's because he has one.''

''I'm sure I could fight with a real sword, and chase away those monkeys for _good_!'' the green-eyed boy said stubbornly, shooting a thundering gaze up to Beth.

Link sighed as the two started arguing, and instead of listening he went back to his puppet. In the distance, he could see the small form of Colin step up into his yard from the hill path, halting momentarily when he saw the two children shoot deadly glances at each other. As Link looked at him and waved him nearer, he got big eyes as well as a huge smile before running to his older, symbolic brother.

''You really have to get over your shyness, Colin.'' Link said when he was sure the other kids weren't listening. ''I'm sure the others would ask you to play with them more often.''

Colin's head dropped. ''I know, but it's so complicated. And besides I don't want to learn how to fight, it's scary and dangerous.''

''You wouldn't need to fight with them, you could propose other games.''

''But they never listen to me.'' Colin answered sadly, plopping down on the grass and staring at his feet. ''I'm a coward.''

Link sat down next to him while sticking his sword into the earth. In the distance, Beth and Talo were relapsing to silence, but he didn't notice it as he shook his head. ''You're not a coward, Colin. You try at least to talk with them, and that's brave.''

''Really?'' Colin looked at him hopefully, and Link nodded with a smile. ''Of course. When you want something from someone, it's you who has to do the first step, and for that it needs courage.''

The young boy's face dropped again. ''But why do they never come to me? Is something wrong with me?''

''That depends on how you see yourself.'' Link stated wisely, cocking his head in Colin's direction. The blonde lad frowned as if thinking hard, toying with his fingers absent-mindedly. After a moment he looked back up. ''I'm too shy.'' he said downheartedly.

Link nodded. ''And that's where you need to work. But don't worry, it will disappear once you really found out how to beat it.''

''How do I find out?''

''Try things, come out of your shell, and see what happens. If something goes wrong, think that it's not the end of the world, and that there's always a tomorrow to try again.'' the Hylian answered, tapping lightly on the boy's shoulder with a grin. ''And then you'll see your true potential, find out who you really are.''

Colin's eyes beamed with happiness. ''You know, when I'm older, I'm gonna be just like you, Link. I'm gonna be brave and I'll have a horse as well.''

Link laughed. ''Then it would be my greatest honour to teach you how to ride.''

As if on cue, Epona let out a snort while stomping her hooves into the earth. The two blue-eyed lads looked at her, Link standing up slowly. ''Did she approve, Link?'' Colin asked, still smiling. But as he saw the frown on Link's face, he gulped.

The Hylian turned to him. ''Where are the others?'' As they both looked around in search for Talo's red headscarf, Beth's short, hazelnut hair or Malo's black one, they were greeted with the sight of a totally empty space around them. Epona now whinnied softy, kicking against the stable door.

''First lesson in animal behaviour; if Epona gets nervous, there's something wrong. I'll be right back, Colin. Don't follow me but tell Rusl that the kids ran off. I'll try to catch up with them.'' In Link's voice, worry swept along like an intruder, for it took much to really worry him.

Colin was frozen for a moment, but as Link called for him while mounting his steed, the little blonde boy ran off without a last glance back. His sandals swirled up the dust of the dirt path as he disappeared down the hill, Link instead tapping Epona's sides carefully to send her into a trot. She had saved his life once, now he had the fighting skills to pay her back. And he would be quicker with her than alone.

As they hurried out of town, they noticed that the gates were wide open, and Link grunted crossly. Didn't their parents make it clear enough that the forest had become a dangerous place and that the gates must always be closed? He quickly dismounted to pull the wings shut again, securing them with the chain Rusl had crafted solely for that purpose. As he was about to get on his horse again, the path sprang into his view, as well as all the hollows in the dust.

He knelt down, quickly taking in the scene that had played here just moments ago. Prints wide apart indicated Talo running off like mad as if chasing something. Beth's footprints were closer and deeper near the front, for she always jumped a little when she ran. Malo's trace was a total mess, for the too long, orange skirt tied around his waist smudged every single one of his prints. There was, however, a fourth track he made out of the other three, the owner possessing claws at the front and abnormally long toes. This, Link immediately identified, was the trace of a monkey.

''Oh no, Talo …'' he mumbled in frustration as he mounted again and followed the messy tracks out of Ordona Province and into the dark woods of Faron. Talo had, with the best of intentions, always wanted to teach those monkeys a lesson every time he saw one, for the famished little animals often stole into the village, even in broad daylight, and robbed some food out of the barn or the houses. Apparently he had spotted one of them creep along the hill to the ranch and was now chasing after it.

Link pulled his skewer out as soon as the sun was blocked by the thick canopies, shuddering a little with dread.

Suddenly, a shriek resounded in the trees, and his ears perked up instantly. That had been Talo's voice! Epona snorted under him, causing him to dig his heels into her sides. She reared up with a neigh and sprang into a gallop instantly, nearly letting Link fall off with a shout of surprise. He pressed his legs deeply into her sides as he held on for dear life, crouching down on her back. It had been a long time since the two of them ran that quickly.

The dark trees and leaves rushed past them, the chilly air of the shadowed forest whipping around Link's face. The Southern Road stretched out before them at the end of the narrow forest path, but no sign of the children so far. Link pulled gently on Epona's reins and she halted abruptly. ''Talo! Malo, Beth!'' he shouted as loud as he could, looking around desperately.

''Link?'' Beth's quivering voice rang out close to him, and he jumped in fright as always. The young girl came out of the coppice with Malo in tow, both looking as pale as a ghost with dirt covering them all over.

''What happened?'' Link asked as he jumped off quickly and knelt down in front of them to be at their eye level. Beth was crying, Malo just looked shocked. ''They have my brother.'' came his quiet reply.

''Who? Where did they go?'' Link asked without hesitation. He had placed his hands on Beth's upper arms to calm her down, gently jostling her. ''Where are they?''

The farm girl pointed a quaking finger north, up the Southern Road. ''Bokoblins … they at-tacked us and took Talo … they've got a w-wagon …'' she stammered. Link nodded quickly and turned his head to see a figure in the distance running towards them through the trees, a sword in their right hand. ''Stay with Rusl, I'll be right back.'' was all he said as answer before hopping into the saddle once more and throwing his mare into a gallop. He could just hear Rusl's shout from behind ere the feet of his mare carried him too far to make out his words.

He had forgotten to strap on his bow, he realized with a quick heart pound. Now he would have to fight those creatures in close combat. He just hoped that Talo was all right. If ever they had but harmed a hair on his head, he swore to tear them to pieces and meet the same fate than their comrade two weeks ago. His white teeth bared in anger as he leaned in closer over Epona to avoid the branches above and next to them ere they sent him tumbling down the saddle.

After a little turn, he suddenly perceived a foul smell in the wind and gurgling sounds over Epona's clomping hooves. As he raised his head to see better, he was surprised by a black form racing towards him, and he shouted out.

It landed right on top of him, sending him colliding harshly with the ground. Epona reared up and thrashed her legs about the moment he picked himself back up. A raspy bellow echoed to him from the side, and he had just the time to raise his blade ere his side was punched by a heavy piece of wood.

''Link!'' Talo's voice screamed out over the ruckus of barks and gurgling from the hideous creatures, causing Link to quickly shove his opponent away and throw a quick glance around him.

There was indeed a wagon, small and dirty and pulled by two bokoblins attached like animals to it, the other two which had attacked him apparently there to protect the load. Talo was inside what looked like a wooden cage which stood on the cart, joggling like mad at the thick bars. A furry creature was crouched together behind him, a red object flashing into Link's eyes that it carried on its head.

_The female monkey!_ he thought as he recognized the small animal. But he couldn't think further before the blue monster came jumping at him again, weapon brandished. He hesitated, holding his sword tightly in his fist. Never had a drop of blood landed on its steel, for in had never intended to be a killing weapon. But his instinct urged him to act as the bokoblin lunged, and Link closed his eye. He yelled out, held the skewer horizontally away from his body, built up tension in his legs and torso, and thrashed the metal into the foe as he spun around as quick and as hard as he could. The cutting side sliced through blue skin and red flesh, dark blood spurting out of the fatal wound and raining all over Link's body. He coughed and spat as he fell from the recoil of his spin, his enemy crashing down right next to him.

''Look out!'' Talo screeched, but Link had already seen the wooden club dashing towards his head. He rolled to the side to avoid the blow and struck the monster with the tip of his sword right in the guts, causing blood to shoot out of its mouth. He straightened the moment it fell over and another one in front of him attempted a strike. This blow he saw too late, and he screamed out as the sharpened wood cut his arm. Fortunately it was the right one, the creature presumably thinking it had rendered him unable to fight. But Link just brought up his weapon and knocked it over from the left, sending it tumbling over its two dead siblings. He swirled the plain sword in his palm to make it point right towards the chest of his opponent, shouting out a final time as he drove the steel through its heart.

Quaking, the bokoblin gurgled out, spasms shooting through its wretched body before it became still. Link was breathing hard, his hands trembling on the hilt of his blade which he still held rooted in the creature's chest. As he pulled it out, a jet of blood shot out of the stab and let him back away in fright, stumbling a little.

''Link?'' Talo's voice was small and scared.

''Don't look.'' Link said with a tone strangely calm as he sheathed his weapon and hurried over to the cage on the wagon. ''Don't look at them, or you'll just get nightmares. Did they hurt you?'' He was sure to get nightmares from now on.

''No, I'm okay. Please get me out of here.'' the boy whimpered, rattling on the bars. Link briefly searched for an opening in the wooden structure, and finding none he pulled his soaked blade out again and stepped back. ''Get down.'' he instructed him, waiting for Talo to roll together on the floor of the cage before taking the hilt in both hands and, with a grunt, smashing the sharp metal against the top of the bars.

Wood splinters flew away in every possible direction as well as pieces of metal that rained over Link, who ducked away quickly as some of them cut his skin. ''Ah, dammit!'' he mumbled, looking at his destroyed sword where only the hilt remained. Rusl had said that it wasn't very strong, and now he had demolished his first real sword after only four weeks.

He threw the useless hilt aside and got to work pulling the bars of the cage apart forcefully. The female monkey squeaked in fright and got panicky, her animal instinct urging her to get away from those big, strange humans. She punched Talo several times by mistake as she tried to get out on her own, and as Link finally broke enough bars away for them to crawl out, she crashed her entire weight into him, knocking him back as she fled.

Link found himself on the ground, sitting between the pieces of the broken cage as he looked after the escaping monkey. In front of him, he heard Talo squeeze out of his captivity with a sobbing grunt, and was surprised by his little short arms winding around his bloodstained waist tightly.

''Oh Link, I was so scared …'' Talo sobbed, and Link returned the embrace. ''It's all right. It's over, you're safe.'' he answered calmingly, pulling him closer to himself in reassurance. The poor boy was trembling in fright awfully, but he noticed that he, too, was a little shaky from the events just passed. For the first time in his life, he had killed with a sword; he had become a real swordsman.

The sun was already setting slowly and sending the forest into a chilly twilight. Talo seemed to be too scared and tired to walk, so Link gently took him up in his arms and made his way back down the Southern Road. Epona had vanished from the fighting scene shortly after he had been attacked by the first bokoblin jumping on him from a tree, but he knew that she'd be all right. She knew her way back, just like him, and he trusted her entirely that she hadn't left him in panic. They were too much soul-mates for that to happen.

He felt tired, worn and thirsty. The putrid taste of bokoblin blood still clung to his tongue, and he just hoped that this disgusting stuff was not poisonous as well. Tomorrow he would depart for Hyrule, so he could not afford being ill once again. He would also have to wash at least his traditional clothes and remove all that blood, for he couldn't possibly show up in the capital city of Hyrule and swear loyalty to the king without his identifying garbs. If he wanted to be a representative of Ordon, then he would have to look like it.

He felt his legs and arms more than ever, his face contorting into a pained expression whenever he worked his way over a fallen bough or stone on the ground. Talo had fallen asleep in his arms and his small but heavy form was not helping much to ease his discomfort. Minor scratches and cuts were scattered all over the Hylian from the three bokoblins as well as the shards of broken metal the moment his sword had shattered. But what he hated the most was the blood covering him from head to toe, which dried quickly and let him feel like plaster-covered. It had flown everywhere, so he would be forced to pass the evening with washing himself instead of practising, but it wasn't that bad because he couldn't even do that any more. Oh, what would Rusl say? …

As he came out of a little tunnel that blocked the view on the road, his drawn up ears could perceive quick footsteps approaching him suddenly, followed by the cracking of branches and loud panting. The moment he passed the bend of the road, he saw his father figure with Jaggle, Moe and Bo running towards them. Beth and Malo were following a little distance away, as well as Colin.

''Gracious Din, Link!'' Rusl shouted and threw his blade aside as he tumbled the last few yards towards him. Jaggle also raced as fast as he could as he saw his son in Link's arms, looking dead at first sight. At his frightful look, Link quickly shook his head and answered. ''Don't worry, he's all right.''

The carpenter took Talo from Link's arms and held him firmly against his chest, laughing a little hysterically. ''Great Neayru, don't ye ever drive such a frigh' into me again, Talo!'' The little boy woke at his father's words, sobbing into his shirt. ''I'm so sorry, dad … it's all my fault …'' Bo, Moe and the other children came nearer, gasping at Link's bloody appearance.

As Link watched Jaggle hold his crying son in his arms, Rusl grabbed him by the arms and looked him over frantically. Since he was completely covered in blood, the blacksmith immediately thought the worst. ''What's all this blood? You're hurt, Link! Quick, sit down, I'll get Uli.''

''No, Rusl, I'm okay. Just a few scratches, nothing serious.'' Link intervened before his caring surrogate father could gently push him down on a fallen bough.

''Then were does that blood come from?'' Bo asked in shock, eyeing Link's soaked clothes worriedly.

''He killed those mean monsters – sniff – that wanted to eat us.'' Talo responded from his father's arms. ''He saved me and the monkey.''

''I had to defend myself when they attacked me.'' Link countered, not really wanting to look like a killer in their eyes. ''They took me by surprise.''

He managed to convince them with gentle words of comfort that he was indeed all right, just in need of a really good wash. Rusl still looked shocked as he saw the purpling bruise on his right arm, where the club of a bokoblin had hit him earlier. Link just tried to ignore their constant questions as they walked back through the forest towards Ordon. As a frantic neigh resounded in the trees, Link whistled his three-noted melody, happily greeting the returning mare. ''Hey girl, I was already wondering where you ran off to.'' he chuckled while tapping her neck, pushing her aside softly when she nuzzled him worriedly. Even his red horse didn't believe him that he was all right.

As the gathering stepped into Link's yard, they were greeted by all the inhabitants hurrying up the hill path towards them. A very frightened looking Pergie came galloping towards her husband and nearly shrieked Talo's name in her booming voice. ''Talo! Oh Farore, I was so scared!''

The brunette boy was squeezed between his parent's bodies as they embraced him protectively, still sobbing excuses and weakly pointing at Link.

As soon as the other villagers saw Link's dirty form enter through the gate, they all let out gasps of shock and hurried towards them. As Bo raised his hands to obtain silence, hardly anyone paid him attention. ''What happened to you, lad?'' ''Who did this to me ranch-hand?'' ''You're hurt!'' and a squeak from Harold. ''I'll rip those monsters to pieces with my bare hands! Gertie, get me walking stick!''

Link sighed silently, wishing they would just stop worrying and let him bathe. His heart sank totally as he saw Ilia stand between the other denizens, wearing a mixture of shock, fright and anger on her young face. But they all relapsed to silence as Bo's loud voice echoed through their group. ''Silence!''

''Thank you. Now, I want all of you to quit worrying, our Link is fine. What worries me more is this sudden attack from the bokoblins and young Talo being kidnapped.''

''My son was being kidnapped?!'' Pergie boomed out, causing all to flinch back. ''I want those monsters dead!''

''Now now, Pergie.'' the mayor interrupter her. ''Talo is safely back home and was only in trouble because,'' here he shot a sly look towards the young boy, who gazed down in shame. ''because he didn't listen to you and ran off into the woods. We can be immensely grateful that Link found him and brought him back. I dare not think about what could have happened had he not noticed the kids run off.''

Pergie wriggled herself out of her family's big embrace, and to Link's light shock came crashing towards him. ''Oh Link! Thank you so much!'' she cried, squashing Link's sore body in her thick arms. He nearly choked as he nodded with a pained smile, saying something resembling ''No problem, Pergie, any time.'' ere she squeezed the air out of his lungs.

It took quite long to reassure the brought up townsfolk that the danger was over. Link had to retell his pursuit and the killing several times, accepting endless words of thank you and praise. It was only after a good hour that he could convince them he was very uncomfortable in his clothes and that they would do him better to let him have a wash than marvelling at what a hero he was.

But even as he retreated into his home with a huff, his surrogate family came knocking at his door barely two minutes after he had shut it. Uli was carrying bandages and all sorts of utensils in a basket, Rusl a big clay bowl and Colin a pile of towels. Ilia was also with the party, wearing naught but her worried and slightly furious expression.

''Really, I can do that myself.'' Link tried for the fourth time already as he was being looked over by Uli. His huge water boiler was steaming on his hearth, Rusl and Colin already pouring a smaller one into Link's wooden wash basin.

''Let me just look at your cuts and treat them. They could be infected.'' Uli answered, slapping his hand which wanted to push her away gently. Link rolled his eyes as she stripped him down to his brown trousers, silently wishing that they would all just go and leave him alone. How much he wanted to be in his reclusive cavern now, all by himself with no one to worry about him.

The scratches and cuts on his body hurt quite much already, but as Uli wiped them with a vile smelling liquid on a towel, he could have rattled the walls of his house only by screaming in pain. The word 'stinging' took on an entirely new meaning, for this felt as if he yelled it a hundred times at once, along with 'burning' and 'pulsating' which could also well describe his agony. He just tried to hide his pain from Ilia as good as possible, clenching his teeth as hard as he could.

''Where's your sword?'' Rusl asked while he and Colin gathered the bloodied clothes together and the blacksmith noticed the empty sheathe.

''Er, I'm afraid it didn't stand the fact that I broke the cage with it.'' he answered truthfully, his ears hanging low in shame.

Rusl nodded and scratched his head. ''Well, at least it served you well for four weeks.'' His voice sounded a little amused, and he smiled as Link screwed up his eyes as if in fear of being beaten.

''I'll ask Harold to lend you his for the journey tomorrow, I don't want to see you ride away without one. Not in these times.'' Link nodded submissively.

At least most of them left him again when the water was hot and poured into his bath. The only one refusing to see him alone was his life-long best friend, who sat stubbornly on her chair and only bothered to turn around when Link stripped down completely and let himself sink into the bathwater.

''You could have gotten yourself killed.'' Ilia huffed, turning around again. ''You know that?''

''Yes, I know that.'' Link answered a little annoyed. ''But what was I to do? They'd have taken Talo with them if I hadn't stopped them.''

''Well, you could have been more careful, is all.'' she replied, looking over his scratches on his arms and face.

''There were four, and one of them knocked me off of Epona, Ilia. You have no idea what it's like to be attacked by four of those at once … ''

He relapsed to silence slowly as he remembered something, not noticing Ilia who continued to tell him how irresponsible he had been with himself.

''Link?! Are you even listening?'' she shot at him after a while, and he shook himself out of his musing. ''Yes, Ilia, I should have been more careful, I know.''

The blonde girl folded her arms, now looking at him with a sly grin. ''Well, now that you're in there, you should at least wash all this filth off you. You want me to help you?''

Link flinched back slowly, getting wide eyes. ''Oh, no, that's okay. I can manage.'' He couldn't prevent the crimson to mount his face and cheeks awkwardly, making Ilia laugh. ''Why so embarrassed Link? Did you notice only now that you're naked?''

The Hylian made a quick move with his hand and sent a big splash of water collide with her face. She screamed out and jumped up, shaking her hair and sending droplet everywhere. ''Oh you –! You'll pay for this!''

Link ducked away as she grabbed for a bucket and let its water content rain over Link's head. He yelled out, shaking himself while trying to grab her by the arm. She was doubling up with laughter as she turned towards the big barrel where Link kept his fresh drinking water and dipped the pail into it. Link raised his hands as she advanced on him with her weapon raised. ''No no no! Don't you–''

Another waterfall of cold greeted him along with shrill giggles. He sputtered and coughed, striping his soaked hair out of his face. He just saw Ilia turn around a third time and shot out his arm, this time able to catch her. ''No no!'' she screeched as he pulled her towards him, sending her headlong into his bathtub.

While she was temporarily underwater, he stepped out quickly and dashed for a towel that lay nearby, winding it around his waist. As Ilia resurfaced, totally drenched and sputtering, he was standing with arms folded in front of her, wearing a cheeky grin and a defying look.

''Oh you bas– you scoundrel, how _could_ you!''

''It was self-defence.'' he answered, lifting his arms in front of himself. Ilia bared her teeth, tapping her dripping palms on the rim of the tub and heaving her soaked body out of the lukewarm water. Link faked a horror stricken countenance and backed away while she stepped out, stomping towards him. ''You!'' she hissed, her voice lower than he had imagined was possible for woman chords. ''You're gonna pay double now.''

Link let out a stressed laugh as he continued to walk backwards, quickly glancing down to make sure the towel was safely attached around his waist. But as he looked up again, he just saw Ilia lunge forward, ploughing into him and sending him crash down on his back with her on top.

Their laughs echoed against the big tree-house, surely drifting right into Ordon and letting the workers outside look up in wonder. Epona lifted her head with a snort, and Colin, who was on his way towards the reclusive house, stopped short and cocked his head.

As he quickly scrambled up Link's ladder and peeped through the door, he saw his symbolic brother lying on the ground, his sandy hair a tad darker from wetness and dressed in only a towel, with a dripping Ilia on top of him and tickling him under his bare arms. ''No no! Please have mercy!'' Link was shouting in between laughter, tossing and turning himself to get out of her grasp. ''You conjured it, you scamp! Now you get your punishment!'' she giggled back, yelling out as her friend managed to reach her own armpits.

''Er, folks?'' Colin asked, interweaving his fingers in shame. The two playing youths didn't hear his faint, shy voice as they tickled each other, but soon Ilia plopped down on Link's chest tiredly, breathing deeply in effort. Link was still chuckling in between his wheezing, closing his eyes.

''Link? Ilia? What are you doing?'' Colin tried again, this time resulting in a weary side-glance from the Hylian. ''Hi Colin. We're just punishing ourselves, don't worry.'' He laughed as Ilia punched him lightly.

''Ah, okay.'' Colin answered, shrugging and smiling a little. ''Father heard you in the forge, and he said you should go to bed early for tomorrow.''

Link nodded while drawing himself up, sliding Ilia off of him. ''He's right, Ilia. I still have to wash my clothes and pack my things because Fado wanted me on the ranch tomorrow morning.'' While he went to another towel on his table and rubbed it through his hair, Colin came nearer, looking at the wet mess the two left behind from their playing. ''And you have to clean up before you go. Mum wouldn't like to see it like this.''

Link turned around and looked briefly at him, saying nothing. An old little sting in his chest resurfaced from the depth of oblivion and poked at his heart as if to remind him of that painful fact. Colin had always been permitted to call her mum.

He quickly shook his head, pushing back the feeling of hurt with an angry thought. _Stop it now, Link! You're being childish!_ ''Well, Uli wouldn't bother, but I do. And you're helping me, eh?'' he said to Ilia, who grinned broadly. ''Of course, you naughty thing! But first I think you have to put some proper clothes on.''

Link was glad he still had a clean shirt and another pair of trousers pat. Ilia and Colin helped him merrily running on the wooden floor with the rag and wiping up all the water, and while Colin and Link poured out the content of his tub into a barrel outside, Ilia worked on his traditional clothes to get all the dark blood stains out. She looked up when he came back and sat down at his table, drying his hair completely and running his fingers through several times in an attempt to tame his stubborn fringe. He had quite voluminous hair, with two thick strands hanging down on either side in front of his ears, framing his curved cheeks beautifully. Ilia had always wondered why he kept those two skeins longer than the rest, even if with them he looked gorgeous to her. Colin had once told her that when he was younger, Link had wanted to hide his long ears underneath his curls just to seem human, but that it had not satisfied him long. He had cut the rest shorter, but the two strands he had left long.

She sighed as she watched him. Those handsome pointy ears of his had always troubled him since she knew him. It was them which let him stand apart from the other denizens, for it was the only real feature of him which instantly showed that he wasn't human like her or the others. The time he learned that he was adopted had been horrible, and not only for Link. Ilia, being his best friend since they could walk, had been the one to find him in that tree, crying and telling her to go away. She had been abashed to find his right ear bleeding, with the pointed auricle bearing a minor cut. Apparently he had wanted to get rid of the excessive skin and cartilage that composed his Hylian ears, thinking that he'd be a part of Ordon's townsfolk without them. His common sense and profuse pain had prevented him from finishing the deed, to the immense relief of the entire village. After that, her father had ceremoniously girded him with his own apron and employed him as wrangler on Fado's ranch so that he's feel like a true Ordonian. This and the building of his own house had gradually healed the wounds, leaving behind only bad memories from the past. They were still visible sometimes when he was sad and his ears lowered, revealing the long scar of his cut on his right ear.

Her hands were getting painful from the cold water in the basin, and she blinked the memories away the moment Link approached her with a smile. ''I think they are clean now.''

As the young woman looked down, she nodded in shame. ''Yeah, you're right. Do you need some more help?''

''No, I should manage it. Thanks a lot.'' he said as he wrung his apron and blue towel out over the bowl. ''I'll do the rest.''

Ilia followed him out the door as he went to his clothesline next to the stable, where Colin was feeding Epona some carrots. While he hung his garments up, she stood aside and watched him, staring a little at his back which showed his flexing muscled through the cream fabric of his shirt.

''Ilia?'' his deep voice chimed in her ears, and she adjusted her eyes to look into his beautiful face. ''What? Oh, nothing, I was just thinking.'' she said, grinning broadly. ''I think I'll go then, I've still got some work to do myself.''

Link lifted his brows. ''Ah? What kind of work?''

Ilia gulped, looking around quickly before setting her gaze back on him as if nothing was. ''Not your business, you curious rascal.'' she giggled, brushing a small finger over his cheek before turning around and swaggering away with head held high. Link stared after her, cocking his head confusedly. As Colin came up to him, casting him a questioning look, he could only shrug. ''I'll never understand her.''

0

That evening, nothing worked as it should. Link was incredibly nervous, passing his hand behind one ear all the time and throwing things down from their shelves accidentally while he packed his little saddlebag with what he would bring along to Hyrule. His beloved flute would never fit into the leather pouch with its length, so he admitted sadly that he had to leave it behind. But he took his little roll of parchment and a pencil with him; if he encountered some musicians in Castle Town – which was certain due to the sheer size of the city – he would want to write down some tunes he didn't know yet. A few towels for washing and some soap were also among his luggage, as well as his flint and some tinder. Food he would take tomorrow, for Sera wanted to pack him his other saddlebag with what he'd need, as a thank you for having rescued her daughter.

In the late evening, Rusl and Uli came by with Harold's sword, the smith's wife also bringing him a little bottle of weak iodine tincture for disinfecting should he sustain a scratch or something else. But as she also pushed a leather pouch over the table towards him, in which it jingled a little, he shook his head vigorously.

''No, I have enough rupees, please take them back.'' he protested.

''Link, we insist. The road is long, you'll likely need to buy more food on the way, and Epona will need shelter in Castle Town as well as you.'' Rusl countered.

Link had not thought about the price his trip to Hyrule would cost him. About thirty rupees remained in his little wallet, for he had found a sapphire, called a blue rupee, at the place where the two cloth-merchants had apparently been attacked and their puppy Cobalt ran off. Sometimes he wondered how those precious little gems managed to fall out of their safe wallet, but the currency of Hyrule was in any case a little wonder on its own.

When you wanted to buy … let's say a bread, and it cost five rupees, you'd give the merchant a blue one. If you only possessed a golden beryl, or yellow one worth ten rupees, the magical little jewel would instantly split apart into two blue ones. If you found five emeralds, or green rupees, they would assemble themselves to a blue one in your pouch. The odd thing was that they never changed their size but only their glowing colours. They were about as big as the large part of a soup spoon and harder than stone, yet when the need occurred they melted together like water drops in a puddle. How this worked was a mystery only the Goddesses would know.

Then there was the problem with greedy people. Rupees were quite fussy about the wallet in which you packed them, for example they would never accept a dirty, old smelly leather bag and would always jump out of it again when you were walking or riding. Every Hylian, human or other race of Hyrule capable of trading received an own wallet from their parents, able to carry a certain amount of rupees (for they needed their space) which was crafted by a special rupee wallet-maker in Castle Town. No one except him knew what material they were made of, but the gems loved them and stayed devotedly inside them.

However, woe betide the one who kept too many rupees in a bag too small! Then they revolted. Either they refused to fit in when you tried to stuff them into your pouch, or they jumped out again when you weren't looking. This was why so many green rupees could be found in the grass or underneath rocks in the forest, for travelling merchants simply underestimated their little trading mates. They separated from bigger rupees in form of emeralds to obtain more space, and just fell down. No one knew how they did it, for no one had ever seen a rupee jump, but when the merchant looked into his wallet at home, he'd make a really dumb face.

As Link opened the small sack, red light radiated out and shimmered in his wide eyes. There were exactly nine glistening rubies in it, or red rupees, worth a fabulous twenty emeralds each. He let a few pour into his hand and watched them beam away proudly in the crackling firelight of his hearth. ''I cannot accept, it's too much!'' he said, looking up at his surrogate parents.

''Take it, you'll need them.'' Rusl answered, pushing his hand back as Link handed the rupees to him.

''It's what we saved up for you over the years, and this is the best opportunity to give them to you. Do with them whatever you want, they're yours.''

''Why did you save up for _me_?'' Link didn't understand how they could give him one hundred and eighty rupees just like that.

''Because you're our son, and it's our job to make sure that you can start your life properly. That's what parents do.'' Uli answered, winding one arm around her husband's waist, who nodded eagerly.

Link was completely taken aback. ''But … but I thought that Colin … '' he stammered, however Uli cut him off. ''Link, you're as much our son as Colin is, please believe. We will always be behind you, whatever happens, you hear me? We will always love you like our own.''

Link felt the water rise in his eyes as he looked at the two standing in front of him. Uli was already crying and stepping up to him, enclosing him in a tight embrace. ''I'm sorry if we ever gave you the impression you were not our son, Love … we only wanted the best for you.'' she sobbed in his ear. Link held her tightly, shaking his head a little. ''I know. Don't be sorry, I know that you are my parents. You will always be.'' As Rusl came up as well and hugged them both, Link and Uli chuckled as they took him in their middle.

At least now, everything was settled. Link could depart safely for Hyrule, knowing that he wouldn't starve and that he had loving parents awaiting him back in Ordon. He still felt a little wrong in accepting such a large sum, but then he realized that this was only normal for a child to receive their first red rupees from their parents. Fado had received the same amount from his parents before they died, and Moe had once told him that he still owned one of the nine red rupees he had gotten from Harold and Gertie.

But the best part was still to come. As Rusl and Uli had wished him a good night and left him, he emptied the content of his new wallet onto the table. The nine red rupees looked magnificent as they shone a bright crimson on the wood, letting him stare a moment at the wealth in front of him. He then quickly raced down the ladder to his basement, lighting a lantern and approaching the chest where he kept his modest thirty rupees locked up safely. He was aware that they wanted a cosy little place to be stored in, and had thus embedded them in the finest wool cloth he could find as Sera's. Now they glistened brightly at him as he took them carefully, only casting a last little glance at the other two inhabitants of his chest; his most precious treasures, the dirty white cloth in which he was wrapped as a baby, and the scrap of paper with his name on.

Sweet melancholy swept up in him as he eyed the towel, running a finger over the roughly woven linen carefully. This had been touched by his true parents long ago, he thought, as well as the pen which wrote that one little word. He chuckled once, shooing those feelings of longing away. There was no chance he might ever encounter them, so there was no point in thinking of it.

He locked the chest again and climbed up his ladder, hanging the lantern next to his crockery shelf. The rupees in his hand already shone brighter as if sensing the presence of their comrades on the table. But he wanted to see them live, and assemble together before his very eyes. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing two rupees change colour and become a new one.

He sat down at the table, looking briefly at his meagre economies composed of three yellow rupees. He jumped as two of them moved closer in his palm, melting in the blink of an eye together to form a red one. The other golden beryl remained still.

Now, Link took the one newborn crimson gem and placed it right in the middle of the nine others. His eyes shimmered in wonder as all the jewels began to glow on the table, preparing for the ultimate fusion. Suddenly they all shot together, imploding in unison, and only a little pop was heard before the new rupee laid still in front of Link.

The young Hylian chuckled in amazement. There laid a white shining gem of pure silver, seeming to have a life of its own as it shimmered like a polished blade in an afternoon sun. He took it carefully, lifting his brows at the sheer weight it had. This one was worth the incredible sum of two hundred rupees, and _he_, Link! was holding it proudly in his palm. With this he would be able to visit Hyrule and not be bothered by the problems of money. His biggest dream would come true, and he would enjoy it as best as he could. At that moment, he was maybe not the richest man in the world, but surely the happiest.

0

Through the little window, the first rays of sunlight danced into the house and illuminated the entire tree in the most beautiful shades of orange and white. As Link opened his eyes drowsily, he was blinded by a beam flowing right into his face, making him blink. The day outside promised to be wonderful, he noticed with a smile as he drew himself up and gazed out of the window. The trees were swaying gently in a mild morning breeze, birds were singing merrily to greet the burning sun rising in the east. As a gust of wind ruffled through his hair, he closed his eyes once more to enjoy the soft touch, filling his lungs entirely.

Then he remembered that Fado awaited him on the ranch at first sunlight, and cursed softly as he jumped out of bed. While he was passing his trousers and a shirt on, groping with his toes for the leather sandals lying on the floor, the booming voice of his boss already flew through the window.

''Hey Link! I know it's your big –'' Link raced down the two ladders, grabbed Harold's sword and a chunk of bread from the kitchen table and stormed out of the door. '' – day but we agreed that … oh, there you are!'' Fado smiled as he saw his ranch-hand hurry down his ladder in record time. ''Sorry, Fado, but I couldn't sleep last night.'' His two garments were hanging dry on his clothesline, so he hopped over to them all while opening Epona's stable door. The mare pushed it open with a hoof and walked out leisurely, paying her master no mind who quickly wrapped his apron and belt & towel around his waist.

''Nervous then?'' Fado chuckled while they strolled into the village. ''Bo told me he wanted to see you when we're finished, so it'll be earlier today, pal.''

Link nodded and waved at Colin who sat with his father near the Ordona Runnel flowing through the village. They were holding each a fishing rod in their palms, Rusl lifting a metallic ring with two captures already dangling lifelessly from it. Link lifted his thumb with a grin, Colin clapping in his hands excitedly.

The fair-haired Uli then came down to the boardwalk, two hands draped over her growing belly. Link could just overhear her complain about a cradle which she couldn't find, and Rusl standing up with a huff to help her search.

Arrived at the ranch, the eighteen goats and five calves bleated happily at their arrival. Link patted the first one trotting nearer with a smile, quickly closing the gate as soon as Epona walked through. ''You can keep an eye on them while I clean the stables, buddy.'' Fado said, earning a questioning look from Link. ''But I normally do the mucking out, Fado.''

''Nah, you have to stay fit and clean for your journey, so let me do the dirty work for once.'' The master goat-herder blinked with a grin, letting Link smile back. ''Okay, boss!''

So Link sat down on the grassy plain, gazing drowsily into the sky. His mare came up to him as well, plopping down and chewing on the little grass that remained. It had to rain soon, Link thought, for if not Fado would have to take the goats into the mountains, and this without him to help. He wasn't sure if he'd manage the herding at all, without Epona and his skilled ranch-hand at his side. But Fado had assured him he'd be all right and that his work should not prevent him from going to Hyrule. The tall, twenty-three year old man had inherited the ranch from his parents little after they passed away, and until now he had not managed to win recognition among the goats and make them do what he wanted. Link knew that his absence would force his boss to be autonomic and find a way to make the goats behave. He had already wondered what the ranch would look like when he came back a few days later. A mean side of him had imagined the goats galloping through Ordon and ransacking the houses in search for treats, with poor Fado running after them desperately to catch them and Bo bellowing insults.

He chuckled as the imagined the scene, Epona turning her enormous head to him in question. ''What do you think? Will Fado manage it without us, girl?'' She just snorted as answer, resuming her green snack.

Guarding the goats was a job which had not much action. Most of the time Link just laid in the grass, playing with the little, horseshoe-like plants growing on the paddock. They were formed like a pipe with two tubes on either side, meeting in the middle where he drilled a hole for his lips to drape around. If he made three more holes with a stick into each pipe, he could play real melodies on the makeshift instrument. Mostly he played some simple Hylian tunes, but the flute was also good to call his horse with Epona's song.

While he was experimenting with the pipe by pressing shut only one half of different holes, a loud bellow of a goat horn resounded twice at the entrance to the ranch, the signal of greeting. He lifted his head to see Kila and Gertie halting in front of the gate, with all three donkeys in tow. The animals were pulling a little wagon each, with three of four barrels of water standing on top. Apparently, they were heading to the field to irrigate the dry earth and little plants already sprouting out. He turned around to reach to Epona's saddle where his own goat horn hung on two straps, blowing into it twice as well. Every denizen carried his own goat cornet with himself so that, should there be trouble or the need to communicate rapidly, they could quickly call for help. Due to the size of the horns, the sound was different for each villager so that every one could recognize them by the tone of the call.

Fado came stumbling out of the barn while Link jogged towards the gate. ''Thanks, Link.'' Kila said as he opened the two wings all while shooing some pestering goats away. ''When's the departure then?''

''At midday.''

''Are you excited, Love?'' Gertie asked with a warm smile on her wrinkled face. Link nodded eagerly while helping her up the path, which was a little steep because of the slight hill the paddock formed.

''We should be back before then, I guess, to say goodbye.'' Kila said as she pulled Fanny by the reins a little harder to prevent her from grazing. ''Just have to water the field because of this heat. I say it's too hot for spring, don't you think?''

Link nodded with a frown. ''Yeah, I noticed that too, but Fado says it can happen.''

''I remember we had such a warm spring when that illness circulated.'' Gertie said absent-mindedly.

''Mum, don't mention that!'' Kila said crossly. ''It brings bad luck to say such a thing.''

''Yes, sorry sweetheart.''

Link looked down as he remembered that time. He had been ten maybe when an illness spread out in Ordon, befalling most of the inhabitants with coughs and fever. Ilia's mother as well as Fado's parents had succumbed to it, along with six goats and a donkey. Gertie was right, it had been a hot spring that year, but he was sure this had nothing to do with the tragic events that the illness had brought along. This year promised to be very fertile, and that was always a good omen.

''Thanks for the help, Link.'' Kila said, exiting through the second gate which lead to the field. ''No problem, see you.'' Link answered and waved with a smile.

As soon as he turned around, Fado intercepted him, saying he needed help with one of the goats which he though was pregnant. ''I'm not sure, you should have a look at her.''

The time slowly passed on the ranch, the sun eventually making its way towards the sky's peak. Link felt more excited with every fading minute, having long given up any attempt to sit in the grass with nothing to do. Fado, having sensed the boy's rising fidgetiness, had pressed a bucket and a scrubber in his hand, charging him with the washing of the dirtiest goats. Link had never been that thorough with the cleansing of the big animals, Fado noticed, and just had to laugh heartily when Link attempted to scrub a goat behind the ears, resulting in the stubborn animal to bleat loudly and run off in protest. ''Come back here, you!'' the lad had shouted while throwing the water in the bucket after the escaping goat. His boss was doubling up with laughter by then, seeing the goat charge back at the Hylian with rage in its eyes, causing Link to quickly roll to the side.

''Link! It's all right! You can go!'' Fado said after he had caught his wits again. ''Bo is waiting for you anyway, so better not be late!''

Link came beaming towards him, wiping his sweaty forehead with a towel. ''Thanks, Fado. I just can't wait any more.''

The young master slapped Epona's rear as soon as Link mounted, waving at them as they trotted away. ''Don't forget to say goodbye, mate!'' Fado called. The long-eared lad lifted his hand positively before sending his mare into a gallop, jumping over the gate elegantly.

In the village, Ilia was already waiting on the street and looked up happily as she saw him ride into town. ''Father!'' she called before running up the hill to greet Link. ''You're early.'' she said.

''Yeah, I just couldn't hold still any more.'' Link answered, smiling at her from his high position. In the distance, the bulky mayor stepped out of his house, looking at the two as they exchanged happy glances.

''So Link, ready for the big journey?'' he asked with a grin while Link hopped down. ''I have something for you, it should serve you well.''

Link lifted his brows in surprise before being led by Bo into the huge house. Ilia stayed behind with Epona, stroking her mane gently.

On the table in the house laid something big and flat, immediately catching Link's eye which widened in wonder. ''It's a map!'' he exclaimed, hurrying forward and leaning over the magnificent object. He had seen a few maps of Hyrule before, but this one was huge, brown-red parchment signifying that it carried already a certain age and black ink forming the lines of streets, forests, waterways, mountains and, right in the very centre, a small drawing of a castle. Hyrule Castle!

''I thought that it'd be of interest to you. You can keep it, I don't really need it.''

''Thank you sir, it's beautiful!'' Link marvelled, stroking over the old map. He could see his own little village far in the South, Ordonafawn and Timberfell to the left and right, Bando further up north-west right on the Faron River, and Palaguard at the very edge of the forest where the huge fields of Hyrule began. Looking over the map, he noticed that Hyrule was only a little bigger than Faron itself, with the huge Lanayru Province to the left and Eldin Province to the right of the castle. Lake Hylia laid proudly in the middle left of the land, right at the edge of the Great Desert. He could not wait to see all this with his own eyes!

The map had many pleats to store it away more easily, so he carefully folded it together and held it proudly in his hands. It smelled of ancient books and paper, but another scent wafted around it which he could only think of as … grass. The plains of Hyrule, where the old parchment came from, had stored a little of their essence right into the map it seemed, and Link could only sniff at it again, this time making out flowers and red, sandy earth.

''Link? Rusl and Jaggle are here.'' the mayor interrupted him, and he quickly stuffed the map into his leather pouch which he always carried on his belt, and hurried out of the house after Bo.

The carpenter stood on the street, holding in his hand the finished shield with the friendly goat painted on it. Link smiled at him as he approached before looking at his surrogate father, who stood with arms folded next to Jaggle. ''So, my son, it's finally time.''

''Yeah.'' Link answered, not able to wipe his huge grin off his face. ''So, is this the sword then?''

The blacksmith smiled as he unsheathed the shimmering blade. It was a wonderful object which let Link immediately stare at its polished steel and beautiful, ornate hilt. It was made of thick metal, looking as if it would never break even while fighting the toughest axe. A furrow was forged into the blade to render it more solid, sharpened ferociously with a deadly point at the end. Only a master smith could make such a fine weapon, and he gazed at his father with amazement glistening in his irises. ''_You _did this?''

Rusl nodded, handing him the sword. ''You want to hold a real sword for once, son?''

Link nodded weakly before greeting the metal in his small hands. It was heavy, but not as much as he had expected. The hilt was wrapped with a long leather strap for better grip, but underneath he spotted ivory looking out cheerfully; Ordon goat horn! Oh, how he wished to one day fight with such a masterfully crafted blade instead of a weak thin one not even able to break wood without shattering.

While he marvelled at the weapon in his hands, a clomping sound could be heard from behind the gathering as well as some hissing, mumbled words of anger. Bo suddenly shouted out, causing the men to turn around and seeing Ilia stomping away with Epona in tow. ''Ilia! Where are you going?'' her father called worriedly.

She turned around promptly and shot back at him while looking to Link. ''Epona's _not _going! She's hurt and I'll take her to the spring!''

Link's mouth fell agape instantly. ''What?'' he asked, turning towards Bo. ''What's she talking about?'' He quickly handed the sword back to Rusl and dashed forward; it was already past midday, they should be going soon. ''Link!'' Rusl called back. ''Link, what have you done?''

The young man only shrugged as he sprinted after the angry Ilia. She was nearly running away towards the exit of Ordon, and as he caught up with her they were right in front of Link's house. The other children were also there, playing with Link's training puppet and looking up the moment the two youths arrived. ''Ilia, Wait! What's that all about?''

The farm girl spun around. ''You! You were jumping fences again, weren't you? Epona is hurt, you moron! And you wanted to take her to Hyrule like that?''

''She's not hurt, I would have seen it immediately!'' Link countered and positioned himself right in front of the two girls, spreading out his arms. ''You can't take her away now, I have to go!''

''_You _have to go! _You _have to go! What about Epona? What about ME?!'' she screamed, throwing her arms down in fury.

Link gulped as she hurt his sensible ears with her shrill scream. The kids flinched back in fright as they watched them argue, looking between the two in turns.

''Ilia, I'll only be gone for a few days, then I'll come back, I promise.'' Link said calmly, making a step in her direction. But Ilia just snorted and pulled on Epona's reins to trudge past Link. However, the red horse whinnied once and threw her head into the air, quickly jostling the reins out of her hand and clomping towards her master.

The fair-haired girl watched her as the mare nudged him, her angry countenance dissipating in a wind blow to be replaced by a sad look. Link looked at her then, smiling a little while he let Epona lick his hand.

''You still prefer Link over me then, Epona?'' Ilia asked, looking down in shame.

''She doesn't, Ilia, but she's confident that it'll be all right.'' Link answered for his horse. ''Hey, I'll be back before you can even start to miss me, Ilia.'' This time he walked towards her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. To his big surprise she lunged forward and wound her long thin arms around his waist. ''Oh Link, please take care of yourself!'' she wailed as she pressed herself against him. ''Just come home safely … ''

The Hylian returned the embrace, smiling as she looked back up at him with tears in her eyes, but wearing this sly grin he knew so well from her. ''Don't you dare get yourself hurt out there, you hear me?''

''Aye, understood.'' Link answered, mirroring her smirk. She punched him lightly in the stomach before stepping back. ''Link, there's something I wanted to give you. I worked very long on it, so I hope it's all right. It's made of … ''

She couldn't finish her sentence, for suddenly Epona threw her head in the air, causing Link to back away in fright. ''Girl, what is it?'' His calming hand which he caressed over her neck didn't calm her as it normally did, so it must be something serious.

A cloud was hovering by in the sky at that moment, causing the sun to disappear briefly. Instantly it went cold in the trees, a chilly wind sweeping through the branches and making them shudder. Link was trying in vain to calm his mare down, but his feet felt a strange sensation on the earthy ground as he stood still. At the same time, a low rumbling could be perceived in the distance, letting the children look around in alarm.

''What's happening?'' Talo's squeaky voice rang out, sounding strangely muffled by the droning which came nearer still. Link handed the revolting horse to Ilia and slowly stepped up to the gate which lead out of Ordon. At the same time, he sensed the ground quake a little under his sandals, making him look at his feet worriedly.

''I don't know. Stay where you are, I'll be right –'' he could not speak further, for his voice was suddenly cut off by a gurgling shriek in the coppice, followed by the sound of hooves which galloped towards them.

The girls screeched madly as a shadow was cast over him. He could only stare as a huge, gigantic monster crashed through the gate and lunged at him, missing him by inches with its enormous legs. Green creatures with glowing red eyes stared at him from above, their faces partly hidden behind dark veils.

They stormed into his yard after the running kids. Some of them had bows and shot at them. Epona was screaming and thrashing her legs madly. The horn attached to her saddle plopped out of its holding straps and was catapulted away. Link dashed for it, all the while drawing his sword and knocking back a monster which had jumped from its mount. Ilia and Colin were hiding behind a tree, cowering down and screaming as one of the monsters thundered its club against the trunk. Link managed to catch the horn, and driving his sabre right through the chest of one of them, he blew with all his might into it.

000


	7. Chapter 6 - Friend or Foe?

**Chapter 6 – Friend or Foe?**

The sound of the horn echoed in the mountains. It reverberated against the barn, the houses, the trees, the mill, the hill and the fences before it reached Rusl's ears and let him freeze right where he stood. It was a high bellow, from a horn not big and imposing enough to belong to an adult, yet too low to be a child's squeak. Ilia rarely wore hers at all, so there was only one person left who could own it and blow in it the long, frantic signal of alarm.

He turned to the mayor who stood like petrified on the planks of his porch. ''That's Link's horn!'' the smith gasped. But before he could blink in confusion, his comrades already shouted out at they turned to the entrance gate, which was blown to pieces at the hooves of something he had never seen before. Scarcely resembling an oversized boar, the monster galloping into the town wore a skin in a dirty brown patched with grey, glowing red eyes and lance-like horns at the front. As soon as it trampled into the village, the putrid scent of animal sweat and dung with saliva wafted over to them, causing the men to gasp in disgust.

However, it was what rode on top of them that caught the blacksmith's attention and let him stare wide-eyed. Wielding bow and a heavy club, green and evil-looking, a creature with similar eyes than the boar's was crouched over on a huge saddle and drove its mount onward. As soon as it saw the men standing at the mayor's house, it lifted a claw into the sky and screeched a gurgling war bellow that briefly drowned the second cry for help from Link's horn.

''Link!'' Rusl roared as he drew the precious sword and dashed forward to meet the attacking monsters. Bo and Jaggle grabbed whatever farming utensil they could lay their hands on and followed, bellowing along with him.

Link was dizzy after he blew a fourth time into his cornet. As he breathed in deeply to send a fifth scream on the way, one of the red-eyed creatures jumped at him, trying to wrench the pipe out of his hands. He turned away, ducked under a blow from the right and parried with the horn a club coming from the left where the power alone nearly shattered it. But as a third of the attackers swung its weapon at his vulnerable hand, he screamed out in pain as the cornet flew away and was crunched under the hoof of an arriving boar.

In the distance, he heard a high-pitched scream which he knew all too well. As he looked at the tree behind which Ilia and Colin had taken refuge, he saw in horror how one of the boars advanced on them, making them crawl back in fright. The two riders and a footman lunged at them with a net, causing Link's heart to stand still. He didn't have the chance to react though, for the three around him attempted the exact same method on him. He pulled out his knife which always hung at his belt, yelling out in anger as the net spread over him. The sharpened blade cut through the strings like butter, on the way embedding itself right into the eye of one of the monsters which tumbled back, instantly dead. The two others screamed out as they saw their comrade fall, jumping like angry cats on Link with claws drawn out.

While the youth was fighting with all his might against the two creatures tearing at his skin, he could see from the corner of his eye how another boar arrived in his yard, with a big wagon attached to it. Many bundles were already packed away on it, and the squiggling heap of Ilia and Colin was being dragged in the dirt towards it by two of the beasts. Link yelled in fury as he saw Ilia's frightened green eyes stare up at him, but another opponent jumped from the wagon and raced to the aid of its siblings struggling with Link.

As he was forced away from the wagon and his friends, another horn suddenly resounded from the woods. It was not an Ordonian horn, for it sounded much too deep and frightening to come from the goats he so loved. The signal let all the head of the monsters turn upwards, ere a shadow was cast on the ground from a creature bigger than any Link had ever seen.

His struggles intensified as the ogre rode by. It was astride a mighty, blue boar-beast coated in armour, matching with its own horns the long ones of its mount. A sick-green skin wall-papered it from head to toe, fat and dirt composing its huge belly and head with its red eyes much too small. This must be the leader of the invading monsters, he presumed as the ogre inspected the content of the wagon.

As its enormous hand poked Ilia through her net, Link roared out in rage. ''Don't touch her!'' But the giant didn't even seem to have heard him. It was only when it grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up a little, making her scream, that he head-butted one of his captors in the jaw and threw his knife directly at the green devil.

The blade soared through the air at incredible speed, stabbing right into the monster's huge belly. The ogre grunted out angrily as it let Ilia fall back into the heap of nets, turning towards Link with a furious look while pulling the weapon out of its fat. Before anyone could react, it threw its own gigantic club right at him, hitting the Hylian so forcefully that he flew from his feet, crashing hard against the wall of the hill. Ilia and Colin screamed from the wagon as they saw him collapse to the ground limply. As Ilia shrieked his name, he didn't stand up, didn't even react. He just laid there, motionless, draped over the massive club that had hit him.

One of the smaller monsters padded over to the unconscious youth and pulled the mighty weapon away from his limp body, dragging it to its master once more. The ogre licked its lips with a beastly grin before tapping the sides of its mount with its heels. The wagon and the three boars rumbled over the earth behind their leader, the screeches and hisses of the disgusting followers echoing around the once idyllic place that was Ordon.

Now it looked like a total mess. Grass was torn open from hooves and clubs, branches and leaves were scattered all over the place, and the tortured training puppet laid in a heap around the tree trunks. The first thing Link could perceive was the cold hovering around him. No sunlight oozed through the dark sky, dipping his bare right arm into a freezing wind. The absence of birds singing arrived next, but it was the intense pain in his belly and head which eventually let him open his eyes with a groan.

He was lying in the bushes in front of the hill separating him from Ordon. A splitting headache hammered wildly on his senses along with his belly heaving and protesting at every move. As wood cracked in the forest just opposite him, with the cries and gurgling of the abhorrent monsters still echoing in them, he didn't even think about collapsing again but picked himself up heavily, dashing forward into Faron Woods. In his mind, there was only one thought; bring the children and his best friend back!

The forest path was a wreck, so it was easy to follow the trace of the kidnappers. Link felt his own heartbeat hurt him in his chest as the adrenaline and fright still pounded through his body with every step he took. As he briefly stopped by a tree to catch his breath, he felt the bark of the oak crumble under his palm, and realized just now that his whole body was quaking like a dancing bee. He had never been more afraid in his entire life, but the thought of Ilia and the other kids trapped in the nets, with those brutal monsters taking them Din knows where, he immediately forgot all fear distilling in him from the fire of fright, instead taking up the pursuit into the dark woods once more with legs trembling awfully, nearly making him trip.

He did trip though as something strange appeared in the distance. He could not see it directly, but his common sense informed him that this dark … dark radiance, there was no other portrayal for it, had to come from somewhere. It was ominous and black, totally black, obsidian rays drifting over the earth slowly like fog in a plain, seeming to reach out and grab every blade of grass, every pebble of dirt it could get, and consume it. As Link drew himself up again and cautiously made his way along the wood path, the air around him began to vibrate gently. It became stronger and nearly painful the further he stepped along, until he had to cover his sensible ears in pain.

The road in front of him suddenly disappeared. Link stopped short as he saw no earth any more, only the fog creeping over the place that was once the junction to the Southern Road. The pole with the six signs had vanished, totally engulfed in fog which, as Link slowly let his stare wander upwards, loomed up large right in front of him to form a gigantic wall of blackness. He couldn't hear his own yell of shock as it was drowned by the vibrating air. Only his eyes seemed to exist as they stared right into the pulsating darkness criss-crossed by golden lines that slowly appeared at his approach. Patterns formed and coated the immense wall, moving slowly with the unnatural substance composing it as if it were water gently stirred by a flowing breeze. Link couldn't stop staring, his entire being was trapped in the mesmerizing aura of black, was pulled towards it yet repelled by something inside him.

He was so utterly lost in terror at the sight of this giant wall erecting right in front of him that he didn't see it coming at all. His chords vibrated once before it enclosed his throat and sealed the air in, a sticky mass of snake-like limbs winding themselves around his neck suffocatingly. At once they tugged at him, tore him from his feet and pulled him right into the blackness. He felt a harsh cold the moment he passed the curtain of darkness, his body being engulfed by the wafting fog and immediately stinging awfully at the touch. He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, still yelling as the strange, enormous hand pulled him into another world.

The moment he looked again, all was different. He wailed as a monumental, scary face advanced on him, black with no sockets, no mouth, just bulging patterns covering it like a mask. It was gripping him in its huge claw, holding him up into the sky as if inspecting him. Link choked as he struggled for air, the serpent fingers of the monster clutching him by the throat and sealing every possible income of oxygen shut. The atmosphere around him, too, was pressing and pushing itself around his body, painfully shooting dots of blackness onto his sensible skin, piercing it and slowly invading every possible inch of his being. He felt the foreign shards enter his veins, his muscles, his bones, his very heart which they bombarded angrily, squeezing the light out forcefully. He screamed as the agony intensified, his body convulsing under the pressure of the atmosphere. The monster held him away from its form a little, watching the youth being tortured all on his own.

From a little distance, the black beast and the twitching Hylian were intently watched.

A yellow-red iris pierced the dark vibrating air in a fierce manner, a subtle smirk spread over a black mouth with a small, single tooth sticking out cheekily. The one eye widened a little as the scene down below changed, the resolute smile widening in pleasure. With delight it watched how Link's left hand glowed up, blinding the huge creature with a radiating, golden light and letting it throw its prey to the ground. The boy continued to twitch and jolt, now crouching on all fours with the illuminated triangle still shining frantically.

At once the little human changed. His legs elongated, teeth as well as nails sharpening inside a skin sprouting with fur. His back bulged, his head widened, his nose grew, his spine stretched, a tail formed, all accompanied by his yells of pain which slowly but surely turned raucous, guttural and beastly.

Before the very eyes of the anonymous observer, a grey-green wolf howled into the orange sky with eyes turning white in agony, before it collapsed to the ground weakly and remained there, the golden triangle slowly turning grey once more.

The eye in the shadows took on a countenance of satisfaction. That was what she had been looking for. A grey wolf trapped in Twilight, helpless and unknowing, for her to save. She watched on as the shadow beast took a hind leg of the wolf in its serpentine fingers, looking up at the sky briefly, and then slowly fragmenting into tiny shards of black to join the other billions hovering around. The wolf split as well, and she giggled childishly at the complete ignorance of this poor human trapped in a beastly body. How she loved it when everything went according to plan! Now she would just have to track down their whereabouts, and the poor little wolf would be hers.

0

''Link!'' Rusl bellowed as soon as he arrived in the destroyed yard. ''Colin!''

''Talo! Malo! Where are you?'' Jaggle joined in behind him before shouting out at the state of the clearing. ''Gracious Neayru! What happened here?!''

All but Link's tree-house remained intact, the rest had been brutally demolished to smithereens. The little garden where the lad had lovingly sowed salads, carrots and cabbages for everyday cooking, lay in a mess of earth next to his home. The protective gate out into the wild was completely wrecked, as well as Epona's stable. Hay lay strewn out all over the place along with grain, dung and Link's training mannequin. Rusl gasped as he crouched down, gingerly running a finger through the shards of crumpled horn laying splayed out on the grass. A little distance away, Bo also knelt down and picked up the bloodied knife, showing it to the blacksmith. Rusl shook his head in terror, running a hand over his face. ''Oh no … my son …''

''Dear Farore, Link will be pleased …'' Hanch mumbled from behind, but the smith turned to him sharply. ''Don't you understand? The kids have been taken you fool!''

''We must go and search for them at once!'' Bo intervened before the blacksmith could jump on the ignoring apiarist. ''Hanch, go and look if your daughter is in the village.''

At the word 'daughter', the soft-minded Hanch seemed to notice the true gravity of the situation only now. Everyone could see the trigger being pulled, letting him jerk awake. ''Beth? She was here with the others all the time! Beth! Where are you?!''

Rusl didn't wait a second longer and dashed forward into the forest with sword held high. Jaggle and Moe followed, Bo running back to the village with the hysterical Hanch in tow.

The adults had arrived in the yard a few minutes after Link had been dragged into the black wall, which still towered ominously at the junction to the Southern Road. As Rusl and the others arrived, they stopped abruptly with a gasp at the sight of the black monster, covering their ears to seal away the vibrating sound. ''Din help us …'' Rusl murmured as he stared up at the monument, which already formed its golden patterns across its height.

But his stupor was quickly broken as Jaggle yelled out. The smith turned to see a group of bokoblins charge out of the coppice, one of them lunging at him from atop a tree. The monster crashed into him brutally, sending him tumble to the ground with a cry of pain; his scalp had been grazed by the wooden weapon it wielded.

''Rusl!'' Jaggle roared as he charged at the creature and rammed his farming sickle right into its back. The bokoblin gurgled as dark blood flowed out it its mouth, dripping on Rusl's chest. He groaned in disgust as he kicked the carcass away but was sent back to the earth by another one jumping on him from the side.

Moe came to his aid with his axe while Jaggle dispatched of the other remaining monsters. Unfortunately the black-haired farmer was not very skilled with a hatchet, so as he wanted to strike at the bokoblin he missed terribly, instead burying his weapon into a nearby trunk. The creature took its chance, hacking away at Rusl with its sharp rake and cutting a few deep gashes in his side. It was Jaggle who finished it off by slicing its throat with his sickle.

''Rusl, you're okay?'' he asked and crouched down, Moe pulling the cadaver away from the smith. Rusl was panting heavily as he held a trembling hand on his side. It was bleeding profusely.

''Oh Nayru …'' Moe mumbled, running a hand over his face in shock.

''Do you see the children?'' Rusl asked weakly, but Jaggle shook his head. ''No, no sign of 'em. They must have been teaken by those boar things an' their riders. I'm sorry, Rusl.''

The blacksmith grunted as he tried to stand up, getting help from the two men who supported him under the arms. ''We have to search for them!'' he panted, wriggling himself out of their grasp.

''Rusl, ye're injured!'' the carpenter stopped him sharply. ''Let's take ye to Uli, we'll look for the tots while you get patch'd up.''

''But I have to … Link …'' Rusl stammered while the men half walked, half carried him back to Ordon. ''He ran after them … I saw his trace …''

''Link has probably been teaken as well.''

''No, he ran after them! He must still be around. Link!'' Rusl bellowed, nearly tumbling back down as Jaggle's grip loosened.

It was only with great effort that the two farmers could bring their blacksmith back to Ordon. By now, dusk had fallen over the disturbed villagers who were gathered around Bo's house. The mayor was busy calming his shouting townsfolk as the three men came stumbling along the path.

''Darling!'' Uli screamed as she saw her husband bloodied and weary in the arms of the farmers. She hurried to him as quickly as her pregnancy allowed, followed by the other women who greeted their men worriedly.

''Have you found the children?'' Bo asked immediately as he edged his way through the wailing women. Jaggle and Moe shook their heads, and all hearts of Ordon sank.

0

Blackness. Total blackness. Behind his eyelids, and in his mind black with unconsciousness. Even as it slowly fell away from him and greeted his other senses drowsily, to him it didn't make that much difference. The scent of water, mould, algae and dust, with a dominant side of old stones and rusty metal, wafted around him. But another smell which seemed much too near embraced his nose, or rather came directly from it. Which was it? Fur, saliva, wetness? Dog?

So much to his surroundings. He knew he was in some sort of dungeon, with a sewer close by. Apparently those monsters had taken him after all and had locked him away. Rusl had told him once that, when someone was taken prisoner, they were thrown into a dungeon behind metal bars so that they couldn't escape. However, what a dog had to do with him in this prison, so close to him that he could feel the warmth it shed and smell its disgusting wet fur, he couldn't explain.

As he slowly tried to move, he felt his entire body ache awfully. What had happened to him that made him feel so sore? Surely the monsters had treated him rather roughly while he was unconscious, throwing him right into this hole without taking care if they hurt him or not. So much to kindness and civilized imprisonment.

His lids finally managed to separate, revealing only more blackness at first. But the more he got accustomed to the dark, the better he could see his surroundings. He had been right, he found himself encircled by old walls and metal bars, with a lone lantern illuminating a wet corridor outside his cell. No one was there, no guard or green, veiled monster that had invaded Ordon Din knows how many hours ago. If there was truly no one, then perhaps he could at least look around a little and even make out an escape route. Those bars looked very old to him.

Despite the chilly air his nose perceived, he felt rather warm, even when lying on the cold stone floor. Had those monsters really been that kind to wrap him in a blanket before locking him up? This seemed rather impossible to him. But then, why didn't he shiver with cold?

He grunted a little as he tried to stand up. His throat was very parched and sounded raucous from the freezing air. He had surely caught a cold in this damned prison cell. As he moved, a little jingling echoed against the walls, followed by a slight pain emanating from his left wrist. He couldn't see it, but from the smell of blood and metal he was informed that he was in shackles. So much to his escape attempt.

Now, he was looking for the dog he could clearly smell closely. As he turned his neck a little to gaze down, he saw a ferocious looking, grey paw with razor sharp claws. This must be a big dog lying right next to him. But where was it, if he couldn't see it fully? It wasn't on top of him, otherwise he'd have felt it instantly.

This was getting a little weird, Link thought. As he looked around with blinking eyes, he saw a grey-white tail and part of a dark hind leg. This was not a dog any more, this was a wolf! He felt fear grip him by the heart, starting to tremble a little as he slowly moved away from the predator. Those monsters had locked him up with a beast that would devour him as soon as it woke up! If ever he came out of this cell alive, he'd thank Farore a thousand times.

Then, the strangest of things happened, which let him gasp in fright. As he silently crept away from the angry paws of his beastly comrade in the hopes to get as much distance between it and his shivering, fragile human body, the leg and tail moved as well, eagerly following his every move. He stopped short, not daring to breathe as he awaited the killing lunge. But nothing of that kind happened.

_It just moved in its sleep_, he thought with quaking heart, now resuming his quiet retreat into the farthest corner of the cell. But the tail and leg moved once again in his direction, this time resulting in a frightened stumble from Link as his arms gave way and made his shackles jingle. He clapped a hand over his wrist frantically in hopes to prevent the chain from waking his neighbour, inadvertently touching the fur of the wolf.

Hang on, fur? So the wolf was attached to his own shackles as well? How could this be, since it was his own wrist which he touched right now? Link's mind was reeling awfully, trying to figure out the clue to all this mess. Where was the head of this beast? Why wasn't it attacking him now that he had woken it?

'Hello?' he asked carefully. Or rather, this was what he wanted to ask. Instead, a soft grunt came out of his mouth which startled him terribly. He grabbed at his throat, touched more fur, barked out and stumbled back with a yelp. Now he at last saw his body, his own body covered in grey-green fur with white patches here and there. His eyes widened, he tried to stand up, but his legs didn't listen to him. He tumbled back down, whined in fright, tried to stand up again and fell back on his side. The shackle chinked loudly as he thrashed his legs about and moved back in panic, coming to a halt abruptly as the chain stretched and held him back.

_No no no! This can't be!_ he thought hysterically. _He_ was the wolf, a real, living, fur-coated wolf with sharp teeth and claws and four legs and a swaying tail! A tail, oh Goddesses! What in Hylia's name had happened to him?!

_This is just a dream! Just a dream!_ He rolled himself up to a ball, retreating as far from the bars as he possibly could. His whole furry body was trembling in fear and disbelief, making his bonds rattle softly. He couldn't prevent himself from weeping, cries which his beastly throat let out in form of tiny whimpers that echoed through the dark prison cell. _This can't be happening … _he sobbed quietly. _This is just a very very bad dream … In the morning I'll wake up and I'll be back in Ordon, with Epona and Ilia and Colin right there beside me … right beside me … right … there. _His lids closed all by themselves as he cried himself to sleep. This was all just a bad dream, and nothing of it would remain once he woke up.

He was sure of that.

0

''Hey! Wake up you lazy wolf!''

Link didn't even react. Sleep still enshrouded him like a veil, bathing him in security. The dark, cruel world outside wouldn't harm him now, not while he was in his deepest dream. Whatever onslaught awaited him on the other side of the waking tunnel, it would simply have to wait.

''Wake UP I said!''

He whimpered once as the high-pitched voice reverberated against his sensible ears. He blinked the protective sleep away reluctantly, his blue pupils adjusting on a pair of minuscule feet standing in front of his nose.

He glanced up, tracing with his irises a set of black and white legs. Compared to him, they were fairly small and short, yet feminine and elegantly shaped, so it couldn't be a bokoblin. As he traced the body further up, he made out broad hips, looking naked to him. He frowned as his eyes moved upwards still, revealing a tenuous belly and long, very long arms criss-crossed with turquoise, glowing lines. At last he gazed into a single eye, yellow and red, the other one seeming to be covered by a strange headdress. The creature wore a cheeky grin, a lone tooth sticking out of its mouth.

'Who are …' he wanted to ask, but only a feeble whimper came out of his throat. Instantly he was reminded of that horrible fact; he was still a wolf!

''Well well, look who we have here.'' the creature said. ''Awake at last, aren't we? What a lazy wolf you are.''

Link slowly stood up, feeling his legs and … second pair of legs more than ever. Even despite his thick fur, he was cold and miserable, not even bothering to look further at the intruder throwing insults at him. He padded over to a little bowl of water and attempted to lift it with his left hand – paw, but he only managed to tap against it and sent a little water splashing to the stones.

''Uh, and clumsy as well. Are you just playing dumb or are you really dumb?''

This time, Link had enough. He sharply turned towards the figure and barked at her, snapping with his teeth. She quickly jumped back with a giggle, leaning against the bars. ''There there, no need to bite, I was just kidding. You know, it's actually quite funny to see you stumble about in this beastly body of yours, so unaware of everything, hehe! It's hard to be a wolf, isn't it?''

At that Link looked at her a little surprised. So she knew that he normally wasn't a wolf at all? Maybe she could help him out, if only he could speak to her.

He made a few steps towards her and lowered his body devotedly, trying to show submission. The black and white figure looked suspicious at first as she saw him advance, and her fists balled, little red sparks forming at the end. Link noticed this and quickly changed tactic, instead crouching down and emitting a little whimper while holding his head lower than her belly. The creature's countenance went from sceptical to pleased, grinning once again. ''Now, that's a nice little beast. You want me to help you then, is it that?''

Link tried to nod, which must have looked very strange in the body of a wolf. ''Well, I guess I can arrange that. But there's a price, my little wolf.''

Link backed away a little as she came with her stubby nose very near to his, gripping his jaw with her tiny fingers. Boring her look into his, she murmured slyly. ''I want you to be my slave, which means you'll do exactly as I say. If not, then I'll simply leave you here to rot. Got that?''

The grey wolf tried to turn away, but she simply squeezed harder with a strength he wouldn't have put past her small limbs. ''Now now, are we loosing our submission already? Agree, and I'll get you out of here. Don't, and I'm gone and I won't come back. What do you say, beast?''

Link tried to evade her lingering stare, and with a last wriggle managed it out of her grasp. He nodded while lowering himself once more, which the imp acknowledged by folding her arms. ''What an obedient little wolf, hehe. Now hold still, if you don't want to loose your leg.''

She pulled her hands together, lowering her head as she seemed to concentrate. Suddenly, Link saw a red ball form between her palms, growing a little bigger before being thrown at the chain attached to the shackle around his left paw. The magic collided with the metal which hissed upon impact, starting to glow red as it heated up. Link whined, trying to move away from the burning steel, but the creature ran over to him and held him still. ''Don't move, you fool!'' she hissed.

The magic burnt its way through the metal, which eventually began to melt and run down to the stone tiles. She promptly took the chain in her hands as the fire was halfway through and pulled at it, making Link move along with her. The links snapped open at the burning point as she tugged harder, setting Link free at last.

''At least you can follow orders. That's a start.'' she said, turning away as if nothing had happened. Link growled to himself, shaking his free paw where the shackle still hung with a little bit of chain attached.

''So, let's get out of here.'' the imp said, turning her sight towards the bars and shooting a few more balls of fire at them. Two melting points on the upper side, two near the bottom, and as they were nearly through she took either of the bars in her hands and pushed, getting an exit wide enough for her to step through.

As Link approached, he looked sceptically at the hole in the bars. ''Well? You'll have to squeeze through, I won't make it bigger just for you.'' she said, turning around and suddenly flying into the air. The wolf looked up in wonder, following her with his gaze. She didn't possess any kind of wings, just that enormous, black crown on her head. As she turned around and scowled at him with arms folded, he quickly set his attention back on the bars.

With a lot of difficulty and a ton of insults from his new companion, he eventually managed it out into the corridor. Walking in his beastly form was strange, for one because he saw the ground so near to him and felt as if he walked on all fours as a human, secondly because he now had front legs as long as his hind legs, making it seem normal and untiring to walk like this. Additionally he now owned a tail, which at first made him loose balance more than help him in keeping it. The little imp scolded him awfully for his clumsy walking manner, rolling her eyes every time he tried to walk and stumbled over his own paws miserably.

''Dear Sols! It's just like your human form, so don't make such a fuss about it!'' she said crossly. She flew away a little to look at their surroundings, not paying him any further attention, yet by her statement she had triggered something in Link's mind.

This time, he tried to walk as if he were still human, setting one foot right next to the other, very simply. He got wide eyes as his tail swayed a little on its own, his left front paw making a step while the right hind leg moved up all on its own. He tried a second step, this time with the right front leg. His tail moved in the opposite direction, counterbalancing his long body while the left hind paw lifted. That wasn't so difficult after all.

Had he possessed lips, he would have grinned widely. He tried to trot a little, and his legs moved all on their own. Finally he ran down the corridor and nearly crashed into the imp who stood at a corner, glancing around.

''Ow, you fool! Get back, there's someone coming!'' she hissed.

Link's long ears could perceive a door being opened at the end of the corridor, followed by shuffling feet and a gurgling throat. He quickly trotted after the hovering imp into an adjacent cell next to his own, where the guards had left the gate open.

Inside, he heard water burbling away silently, coming from a little barred hole in the ground. The creature was busy melting those away while Link glanced down into a quick stream.

''Get out of my way, dumb!'' she hissed while pulling at the bars with a grunt. One after the other they snapped away, and as the path was clear her fingers grabbed his ear. ''Follow me, and don't you dare make a run for it, I've got my eye on you.''

Link yelped as she shoved him right into the hole. His still unsure feet collided harshly with a slippery surface, and instantly he was taken by the strong current which pushed him down the tunnel. Dirty water washed over him, made him retch and cough and shudder with cold while he slid down the waterway. The imp was soon hovering in his line of sight above him, her small naked form not catching one single droplet of the disgusting liquid.

They landed in a bigger basin where Link quickly climbed up to the ledge and out of the wet. His thick fur was plastered against his body awfully, making it nearly impossible to move. He shook himself violently, sending a rain of droplets everywhere, including the scowling imp. She growled angrily while hovering away, wiping the water off her skin. ''Very good. Are you done? Can we go now?'' she asked in an annoyed voice, rolling her eyes at him before landing on her bare feet and walking along the ledge.

Link followed with head hanging low. He still felt very weird in this new body of his, and the gruff manner of speaking from his rescuer didn't really lighten his mood. As he watched her walk in front of him, he took a better look at the headdress she was wearing; it looked much too big and heavy for her to carry, but she didn't seem to be affected by its weight in the slightest. The black crown was composed of two parts, one round cylinder which held the entire piece rooted to the imp's broad head, the other shaped like two long thin horns atop a wider, rectangular base. What he noticed as well was her orange, thick hair hanging out of the headdress, bound together by a metal ring at the base.

As the creature briefly halted and looked back at him to make sure he was still following, he saw the front, horned piece of her crown decorated with countless lines and patterns, all dominated by two snake-like, bulging stripes covering the horns and meeting on the forehead of the piece.

The part covering the imp's left eye was, ironically, shaped and lined like an eye on itself, which stared at him every time the creature turned around. He felt quite daunted by that huge thing on her head and wondered why she was wearing it at all. What race she was, with her black and white body, glowing turquoise lines and exceedingly long ears which stuck out of her head nearly perpendicular, he could not tell either. All he knew was that she spoke Hylian nearly perfectly, with just a little trace of a foreign accent to be made out.

The path in front of them was very slippery, letting him stumble quite a few times and nearly fall back into the current to their right. He had no idea where they were heading, and even less where they were in the first place. He had never seen such a huge amount of old, piled up stones in his entire life, but what was even stranger was the entire atmosphere.

He had not noticed it before due to his absolute shock about his transformation, but now that he was walking behind his companion and looking around the dark sewer, he saw tiny speckles of black floating around everywhere. They couldn't be material, for when he poked his long nose at one of them, it simply went through. The air was vibrating in his ears ever so slightly and buzzing like the wings of an insect, but softer; he could only compare it to the glimmering of hot air on a stone in summer and imagine it was emitting a sound as well while twinkling. Was he in another world? Why was everything around him shining in a shade of yellow and orange?

''I would like you to meet someone, little wolf.'' his companion said while she stepped into a bigger space with a set of winding stairs moving hand over hand up a circular tower. The sewer seemed to turn here, for the current emptied itself in a round basin and was diverted into another tunnel to his left. A small stone bridge lead over the stream and to the base of the stairs where the imp was waiting for him.

''She's to blame for all this mess, that girl.''

_Which mess?_ Link thought. _The fact that I'm a wolf now?_

''She's in a lone tower way up there, so you better hurry up. We shouldn't keep her Highness waiting, hehe!''

Before Link could react, the little creature suddenly jumped right on top of his back, tapping on his sides with her minuscule feet as if he were a horse. He barked and threw his body about to get her off of him again, but the imp just folded her arms and laughed while holding herself with her legs.

''Now now, calm down you stupid beast!'' she called and grabbed his ears which she pulled back harshly. The pain issuing from her clutch made Link whimper and crouch down involuntarily. ''Did you forget that you are my slave now? I'm tired of walking, so you're going to carry me to that tower, got it? Now get a move on!'' Her feet pounded his sides again as she released his ears, and Link glared at her angrily. He was slowly getting tired of her patronizing manner.

But he didn't complain further, instead gulping down his pride and starting up the stairs with the pestering imp on his back. Thankfully she wasn't very heavy, he thought with an inward sigh. The only really weird thing was that she clung to the thick fur on his neck, a sensation which he felt for the first time in his life. Many times he tripped and swayed because she tugged on it a little harder to hold herself on top of him, making him loose focus on the path ahead. At least she didn't scold him for that, he thought with ears drawn back.

The stairs led into what looked like the top of the tower, with a big hole in the roof where rain dropped in from above. Link glanced up and wondered if that hole was there on purpose, or if the roof had been damaged. Seeing the rubble on the grated floor, he went with the latter.

''Why are we stopping?'' the imp inquired, tapping on Link's neck. The wolf cast her a puzzled look before gazing about the big room. There was no exit except for a closed door in front of him. But with his paws he could never open it.

''Uh, do I really have to do _everything_?'' the creature groaned, hopping from Link's back and turning the handle. ''Now hurry up, I want to get out of here!'' With a huff from Link she let herself plummet back down on his back and spurred him onward. He just sighed and stepped through the door, only to be greeted by heavy wind and rain tapping against his body.

He found himself surrounded by stones. However, these were not normal, round and random stones just lying around. As he advanced a little into the rain, the water blurring his vision slightly, he saw how the grey rocks were all in line or piled up, some square, some flat, some huge and some small; this was a stone building!

He was standing on a tiled floor, with low walls to either sides and the open sky above him glowing in a bright orange. Small, rectangle particles of black floated around everywhere and encircled him, stinging a little every time they brushed past his fur. As he stared a moment at the scenery, however, his impatient rider banged her heels against his sides, making him growl and move forward.

''Uh, I just _hate_ this stuff!'' came her quiet, angry reply from behind his head, and he glanced back at her to see her wipe the rain off her face and arms. The moment she caught sight of him looking back, she banged her fist on his head. ''You! Snout forward and go to that tower! I've not gotten you out of that cell to dawdle!''

Link shook his head in pain from her hit, snarling at her with teeth bared. Lowering himself on his front legs, he squinted through the foggy rain to make out the path, then headed off. He didn't see much around him, just the tiled floor and black speckles in front of him as well as part of the walls to his left and right. He still wondered where by the Goddesses he was, first in a dungeon, then in a sewer, and now on what seemed to be an immensely long stone bridge. This must be the castle in Palaguard he had once seen from afar, when he and Rusl had gone to the merchant city to sell hides from the goats. It had been a huge monument – for him at least – with four thick towers and a fifth, square one dominating the whole castle. This was surely where his companion wanted him to go.

Yet, as he trotted along what he presumed to be the battlement, he noticed that it was abnormally long. The longest in Palaguard had measured around twenty yards, at the most. But this one seemed to continue on forever! If this wasn't Palaguard's castle, which castle was it then?

Soon, the tower in question appeared out of the dark, foggy air and loomed above him menacingly. As he had thought, it was not square like the one in Palaguard, but bulky and round with a broken wood door leading inside. As he passed the threshold and the stormy wind didn't swirl around his ears any more, he suddenly felt very intimidated by the huge building, thick walls and dark, old stones encircling him. It was quiet in here, cold and unsettling; it made him shiver.

Another winding staircase lead up, and an excited tap against his sides from the imp motioned him onward. Soon, a big, wooden door with two wings appeared in front of them, one of the leaves standing a little open. He heard his rider snicker as he pushed himself into the room.

There was someone. He could sense them all too well. His fur answered his fear by ruffling up as he lowered on his front legs and began to growl softly. As a little orange light broke through the sky outside and shone into the room across a monumental window, he saw a cloaked figure standing in front of the glass, staring outside. He didn't know how to feel about this stranger, for something radiated out of them that was both familiar and threatening at the same time.

''Well, hello again, my dear.'' the imp said, causing the lone figure at the window to turn around sharply, gasping in fright. Link could just see the outlines of a young, very feminine mouth and chin, which let him stand easy instantly. Whoever this strange maiden was, she didn't seem dangerous in any way. Perhaps she could even help him out of this foreign body and back to his village once more. If only he had a proper mouth to talk, that is.

''Back so soon, Midna?'' the young woman asked, her voice oddly low and mature. ''So you found the one you seeked, then?''

The imp, chuckling childishly as her apparent name was pronounced, leaned back a little on Link's back. ''Had he been quicker in learning how his body worked, then we would surely have been here at midday. Oh oops, I forgot, in Twilight there is no midday, hehe. How … regrettable.'' she sneered, folding her arms.

The woman lowered her veiled face to look at Link, not seeming to hear Midna's last reply. Link, before he could even think on what the imp had just said, found himself staring into the maiden's sapphire eyes, eyes that looked so worn, so hopeless and mournful that he blinked in shock a few times. He had never seen so much sadness on a woman's features before.

The dull irises wandered down to his left paw, where a little blood was crusted over the metal shackle. ''So you've been imprisoned? I hope they didn't hurt you.''

''Poor little wolf, he has absolutely no idea what has happened, of where he is.'' Midna chimed in and sounding dreadfully sympathetic, a tone which came out rather awkwardly with her flouting voice. ''I thought that, before we go, you'd like to talk to him, tell him what a great monarch you are, and what _you've _managed to do as such, hehe. Being the one he is, you should at least grant him this knowledge, don't you think, my _Twilight Princess_?''

Link could sense the tension rise in the little room. For a moment, the woman in front of him didn't reply, and only Midna's quiet giggles could be heard in the vibrating atmosphere. He tried to make out the sense behind the imp's words, of what she was referring to when she spoke about the _Twilight _or him being the one he was. What was this all about? What on Din's holy earth had happened to him? He was still absolutely sure that this was a very bad, very realistic dream. It just had to be.

As the veiled figure spoke up at last, her voice didn't change a bit. It still sounded sad and hopeless, seemingly unfazed by Midna's obvious try to provoke her. ''Listen carefully, wolf. This land in which you stand now, this very castle that I called home, was once a great kingdom where the power of the Goddesses was said to slumber. This was once the kingdom of Hyrule.''

Link couldn't help but stumble. Midna on top of him clung to his fur painfully, but more agonizing was what this mysterious woman told him. He was in Hyrule, the very kingdom he had dreamed about and had wanted to visit for so long! And now she said that it was no more?!

The woman seemed to notice his shock, for she looked at him with silent sympathy. ''Hyrule, you must know, is not what she was any more. She has been overrun by a powerful king who rules over the Twilight. In his desire to govern our beloved world, he has turned Hyrule into a realm of shadows.''

Her voice broke at the last word, but she seemed to quickly gain the upper hand on her feelings again before they even made a noteworthy appearance. ''Dipped in this Twilight, bereaved of Light, Hyrule's people became spirits. They live on in this form, unaware that they have passed into a spectre life. All they know now is fear, fear of a nameless Evil unseen yet felt in the air.''

She turned again, glancing out of the window at the orange glow in the sky. Link followed her gaze, looked for the sun, or even the moon, but no such orb was present. Not one single star.

The cloaked figure addressed him once more, this time moving her gloved hands up to the hood. ''Hyrule has fallen to shadow, but I remain her princess.'' Link couldn't believe his eyes as the figure revealed her face slowly. She was incredibly young, not older than himself, and strikingly beautiful. Eyes as blue as an afternoon sky on a cloudless summer day, her face pale like the moonlight, with hazelnut hair embracing a magnificent, golden crown on her forehead. Despite her young looks, her eyes were clouded and tired, worn by the worry and despair she had witnessed the last months. Link could only stare as she looked back down at him, her ears cocking a little as her lips faded into a minuscule, tired smile.

''I am Zelda, daughter of King Gustaf and heir to the throne of Hyrule. To save my people, I surrendered to the king of shadows who transformed this land into a netherworld.''

''You needn't say that in such a regretting tone, princess.'' Midna answered, cutting short every unbelieving thoughts from Link to find himself standing before the very princess of Hyrule. ''I mean, I find it quite liveable, this perpetual Twilight. And because of this powers of yours you didn't transform into a spirit either, so why be so sad? You can be happy to be still alive.''

So this is why he found himself in the body of a wolf, because the world had been robbed its Light. Yet Link was beginning to wonder why he, of all people, had transformed into a beast while all the others became spirits. And why was the princess still in her native form?

''Midna, I would give my life to see the Light return to this land. I do not know your reasons to side with us, but you have to be on your guard. The shadow beasts have been searching far and wide for you. ''

Midna lifted from Link's back to hover a little distance above them, turning around and laying her chin in a palm as if pouting. Zelda watched her with a questioning look. ''Why is that so, Midna?''

''Well, what do I know?'' the imp replied sarcastically. ''I guess I've been a little careless on my quest, but now I've got my ferocious wolf with me, so I've got nothing to fear, hehe.'' She plopped back down on Link, causing him to puff from the impact.

Zelda locked eyes with him once more, feeding him a little welcomed reassurance. He wanted to smile, but upon trying his teeth bared by themselves, causing him to snort and shake his head in shame.

''Time has grown short, the guard will soon be here to check on me. Wolf!'' the princess called as Midna spurted Link towards the door once more, instead letting her turn around and glance at the cloaked woman.

''Speak with the Light Spirits, they will explain everything. And be careful on your way.''

Link had no idea what she meant, but he nodded nonetheless. With a last glance at his princess, he blinked once at her before turning again and running out of her dark prison cell.

As he found himself in the tower once more, he halted as soon as Midna pulled on his ears. ''Wait!'' she hissed. ''The guard's coming!''

From down the winding staircase, he could hear a door being opened as well as feet pit-patting on the stone tiles as it mounted the steps. Midna caught his attention by flying out of an opening a few feet above his head, and he followed quickly. As he stepped into the orange radiance with the black particles flying around, he took a good glance at his surroundings. The rain had stopped, revealing to him the biggest, mightiest stone building he had ever set eyes on; this was Hyrule Castle, not doubt.

''So, my little wolf. Know where we are now?'' Midna said as he slowly walked along the tiled roof towards her. ''Quite imposing, isn't it? Hyrule, the big, wealthy, powerful kingdom has fallen into Twilight. Hehe, how ironic. Well, I said I'll get you out of here, so a promise is a promise. Not all of Hyrule has fallen into shadows yet, and I'm sure you want to get out of this wolf body, do you not?''

Link jumped at her words. He would be himself once again?

''But don't forget, you're still my slave. I'll be watching you all the time, beast. All the time.''

He couldn't react as the world began to spin. He felt a cold blow enshroud his body while his feet lifted, the stinging speckles bombarding him from all sides. They surrounded his limbs, poked his tail and pressed themselves into his fur, slowly but surely hammering it to pieces. All became black as they entered his eyes, hollowing them out forcefully. Before he knew it, he was already gone.

000


	8. Chapter 7 - The Thief in the Night

**Chapter 7 – The Thief in the Night**

''Wups, here we go!'' Midna's strangely reverberant voice accompanied his painful landing into the cracking branches and rotting leaves. He crashed through a pile of wood, rolled down a small hill and found himself in front of a big mushroom stump, such as were only found at the edge of Ordon Woods, at the border to the Faron Province. His whole body was aching awfully, but there was a certain thing to this place missing which he had constantly felt in the castle which, he noticed as he looked around himself, had completely vanished.

_I'm back?_ he thought dizzily while he struggled to get to his feet. Indeed, no black speckles floated around the atmosphere like on the roof mere seconds ago, and the air pressure had fallen to normal once more. However, as he straightened and wanted to dust himself off, his body shook violently all by itself, sending bits of earth and leaves flying against the tree trunks around him. _No! _He roared in his mind as he looked down at himself, finding the now familiar wolf paws and tufts of grey-white fur on his chest.

Full with rage, he turned around to where the voice of his rescuer had come from. _Show yourself you lying scum!_

A new giggle resonated behind him, letting him spin around angrily. ''Hehe, well look what we have here! A little human trapped in a wolf's body, in the middle of the Light World full of hunters and predators. Now what happened here?''

He growled at her while noticing something abnormal about the little imp. She looked totally black and strangely transparent, as if her shadow had been ripped from the earth and possessed a body on its own. But his anger towards her was stronger than reason, and he tensed up his hind-legs to jump at her with a loud, furious bark. _I've had enough of you!_

Midna stood as still as a rock while he pounded into her, arms folded and her one eye glowing cheekily in the moonlight. Link let out a whine as he tumbled back to the ground behind the imp, having traversed her shadowy form without doing as much as blow some wind into her face.

''I'm afraid you won't be able to do that any more, beast. Unlike you, I lose my body in the Light World. You can be happy to be still whole, even if …'' here she started to giggle anew. '' … in the body of a wolf, hehehe!''

Link stared at her with more disappointment than anger in his eyes, barking once at her in a demanding tone. She leaned in on him, arms still folded, gazing with her glowing orange-red eye into his. ''Well, it seems you did not transform back like I said, how disappointing indeed. But at least you're back in your lazy little village which can be lucky to be still free of Twilight, eh?''

The moment she finished, Link suddenly looked around frantically. Indeed, he was back in Ordon, for this was the little wood directly behind his tree-house! If he went into the village and the inhabitants saw him, they would surely recognize him by his blue eyes and earrings that still hung at his long furry ears. They simply _had_ to know who he really was!

''Hey! Where're you going?'' Midna yelled as he dashed forward into the coppice direction home, her voice sounding more than angry now. ''Come back here this instant! Zelda said we should see the Light Spirits! And you're still my slave!''

_Not any more, you foul lying creature! _Link thought with a beastly hatred glowing in his eyes. _I'm done with you!_

There was a light at the exit of the forest, and he recognized it as the torch attached to the entrance gate to Ordon which was always blazing bright at night. If someone had lit it, then the villagers must be still there and keeping watch. His heartbeat quickened as he came out of the thicket, and instantly whined out as his paws collided with a heap of splinters lying about broken planks and tiles. As he looked around, he saw Epona's trough upside down in the torn grass, the low door to her stable a mere pile of wood dashed to shivers.

_My stable … they destroyed my stable!_ He quickly shot a frightened glance at the trunk of his high house, and sighed in relief upon seeing it completely intact. The garden right next to it was a wreck, but that would be easily fixed once the daylight was back again and he was on two legs once more. At first he would have to find the denizens of Ordon and see if they were all right. Maybe they even knew of a way to give him his native form back.

He passed the destroyed gate into the village and quickly dashed down the road towards the first house he spotted, which was that of Fado. His boss had build his house into a tree upon seeing Link's beautiful home, however his was safely on the ground with the entrance door at the level of the street. There was no light shining inside, and he presumed Fado was at Bo's place or still on the ranch, even if at night no one except the goats stayed there. He quickly looked about the little group of seven houses, seeing no one venturing on the street even if the torches and lanterns on the fences were brightly lit.

As he started to walk along the dusty road, he suddenly heard a voice near one of the houses. His nostrils perceived a strong smell of honey and sweat, along with the distinctive scent of ale. Especially ale, there was a lot of alcoholic smell around this fellow!

''Waaahhh!'' the man wailed in a squeaky voice. ''Give me back my daughter!'' As Link approached him, he saw the man cowering in front of the little creek running through the village, a limp object in his hands which he held tightly against his chest. He sniffed again, and distinguished the perfume of hay and lilac waft around the thing, which he soon noticed was small, handmade puppet. Beth's puppet!

_Hanch! _Link called excitedly, but all that came out of his maw was a loud bark. The lamenting man jumped up in fright and turned around, suddenly getting horror-wide eyes. ''Ehhh! Another monster! Mayor Bo! Help!'' he screeched, brandishing his own sword and holding it awkwardly in front of himself. ''Don't come nearer, you beast!''

_No, Hanch! It's me, Link! _the big wolf barked, advancing on him while holding his head low. _Don't you recognize me?_The apiarist backed away with a squeak upon Link's advance, suddenly swinging the blade at his head with all his might. Link could duck only at the last moment, the weapon missing him by inches. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the man with fear in his eyes, who was running away while screaming like a maniac.

Shaking his head to think clear once more, Link dashed after Hanch frantically. The older man had reached the mayor's house and was pounding against the door like mad, screeching all the while Bo's name. The wing opened the moment Link arrived, and the bulky mayor crashed out with his own sword raised in attack. ''You won't take any more of us, monster!'' he roared, hacking away at Link who could only jump back in fright.

_No don't! It's me, Link! _he barked desperately while dodging the sword, tumbling down the porch with a painful whine. Bo ran after him with his blade raised as Link ran for dear life, his everlasting roars resounding in the wolf's sensible ears like a deafening war-horn ordering the attack. He saw only blank fear before his eyes while he escaped into the shadows of Gertie's and Harold's house, ducking behind a pile of firewood. The two raging men were soon accompanied by a third, then a fourth, and finally a fifth man who seemed to have three legs instead of two.

''Where is it?'' ''What was it?'' ''A huge wolf attacking Hanch by the river!''

_No! I didn't attack him!_ Link thought desperately while he tried to distinguish the men in the little group roaming through the village in search for him. Bo was easily discovered with his huge belly and two feet higher size than most of the others. Hanch was hiding behind him with the tip of his sword striating the dust. The strange three-legged man he realized was Harold, who had brought his walking stick along with him. Jaggle and Moe were the last two bringing up the read, holding their weapons defensively in front of themselves while walking backwards, gazing into the night with a vigilant eye.

''I saw it, and it was not just a wolf. This was a werewolf by the size of it!'' Harold squeaked to his leader, who turned around to glare at him. ''Harold! What are you doing here? Get back to your house and stay there with Gertie! This is no place for an old man like yourself.''

''I still have the fight in me, mayor! Don't you worry about me! And I tell you this thing was a werewolf!''

''Werewolves only exist in storied and fairytales, dad.'' Moe said while taking his father's arm in his. ''Come, let's get you back to mum.''

Jaggle accompanied the two men with a torch he took from its resting place at the fence, and shushed Harold's constant protesting as he shone his light at the weaver's house. Link noticed in horror how he slowly came directly towards him, a suspicious frown plastered on his short brows.

''Jaggle … do you see it?'' Moe whispered as he, too, looked right at Link's hiding place. But thanks to Link's keen ears, he could discern his every word.

_Damn it!_ he thought and backed away silently, only to bump his rear into something wooden and hard. As he turned around, the door which he had hit sprang open, a blinding light hurt his eyes wide in fear, and a sudden, punching pain crashed down on his back. ''Get out of my house, you monster!'' a very angry looking Gertie shrieked at him while brandishing the broom she had smashed on top of the whining wolf. Link saw in horror how the other men ran at him with swords ready for the kill, and he spun around sharply in search for a way to escape.

A little red light in the trees caught his attention, and he ordered his legs to dash forward as fast as they could, bringing the rest of his body away from the threatening blades just in time before they could impale him like a lance. However, before he had made it to safety quick enough, one of the weapons grazed his thigh while he passed the yelling men, letting him growl in pain as he ran away into the coppice.

The small light proved to be none other than Midna's glowing eye which glared at him furiously. ''What on earth were you thinking by that, eh?! Getting yourself killed because none of those dumbheads recognize you? Did you forget that you are still my sla –''

But he didn't listen to her as a sudden thought flashed through his mind. _Rusl! He must recognize me, I'm sure of it! _Without letting her finish, he was running away again, this time remaining in the safe shadow of the trees surrounding the village. ''Hey! Come back you moron!'' Midna hissed after him, but he ignored her like a dying fly.

The blacksmith's house was standing a little apart from the others, resting on a little hill right next to the creek. Link tried to evade the torches and the light they shed as best as he could by following the river's edge, soon arriving at the entrance to the forge. The group of men was now amassing in the small forest behind Harold's house, shouting orders to one another and asking if anyone had seen the wolf. As he briefly looked back to see where the black imp had gone to, he could only see the orange fire of Jaggle's torch dancing against the very trunk where his companion had hovered only moments ago.

_Let her be caught, she deserves it! _he frowned as he turned his gaze on the path ahead once more, yet something inside him lingered in the trees where Midna had vanished, silently hoping she would find a way to escape on her own. Why he suddenly cared about her safety he could not comprehend, but then it was his nature to put other's well-being before his own. Maybe it came from this little thought inside him that she was the only one truly knowing who he really was. That she had his most faith about finding a way to transform him back.

But then she didn't know a thing about him! And vice-versa! Why should he care about someone he barely knew for less than two hours? And, on top of that, who treated him like a useless slug?

He quickly shook his mind to alertness once more as he saw light behind the windows of his childhood home. Inside, he could hear a soft female voice talk admonishingly to another person, who he presumed was her husband. He jumped as the entrance door right next to him swung open, revealing a very bad looking Rusl with his sword in hand. ''No, Uli! I heard the mayor shout, and I have to go and help him!''

''But darling, you're injured! I won't let you go out there and get hurt more than you already are!''

Link quickly backed into the shadows once more, taking in his surrogate father's battered and bloody appearance with a horrified gasp while the smith was arguing with Uli. ''Love, I promise I will be careful now. But I have to go, maybe it's even the children coming back!''

As Link heard this, he suddenly froze in terror. The children were still missing! He had not been able to get them back, and now they were somewhere in great danger with those hideous monsters holding them captive. He had to do something to find them, but for this he'd need the help of the villagers.

Deciding that his father figure just had to recognize him, he carefully stepped out into the light of the torch Rusl was holding. The moment the brightness reflected on his dark fur, Uli screamed out while hiding behind her husband, who turned around sharply with a frightened yell.

Link tried to lower his head like he had done with Midna back in the cell, gazing deeply into the smith's eyes, but before he could move Rusl's weapon flashed up in the fire the moment he shouted a second time, and Link felt a sudden, searing pain on his temple where the blade cut him. ''Get inside, Uli!'' Rusl hissed, roaring out as he brandished his sword high and went after Link, who shook his pounding head violently to get the twinkling stars out of his blurred vision while making a bolt for dear life.

As the yells of the other men approached him from the left, his eyes widened in panic as he briefly halted to find a way out of danger. He could hear Rusl's panting coming closer with every passing second, already feeling the heat of his torch on his thick fur. _No no! I'm not an enemy! _he barked desperately, but only more bellows came as answer. Huffing in frustration, he turned towards the exit of Ordon and ran as fast as he could, out of the torches' shine and into the safe darkness of the night enshrouding the hill path, granting him much needed cover. Soon he saw his own house appear like a rescuing angel, and he quickly scanned the area for a place to hide while keeping a close ear on the path where the shouts of the approaching men became louder and louder.

His teeth and paws quickly shoved away broken planks and rubble which obstructed his way towards the fallen roof of the stable, under which he ducked himself while pushing a little wood in front of the entrance to his makeshift hiding place so that no one would see the hole he had formed. Cowering there, he closed his eyes the moment the first men appeared at the gate, pressing himself tightly against the ground to evade their prying lights.

''Have you seen it?'' Moe asked the mayor who was halting right in front of the pile of rubbish that was once Epona's home. Link could smell his feet cheesy with effort as they paced in front of his nose, looking around with his torch held high. ''Don't know. It probably went into the woods again.''

''Rusl! What are ye doing here?'' Jaggle exclaimed as the smith approached the fallen stable and scanned the earth. ''Reading the ground like a map. Have you not seen its footprints?''

An icy shower ran down Link's spine at his words; he had forgotten about his prints! He pressed his eyes shut tightly while praying to the Goddesses for help. _Oh no! Please don't make him see me!_

Rusl's flambeau came so near to him that he smelt the soot flaking off, and he could not prevent his body from starting to shake in terror. As Rusl scanned the ground, his feet took him nearer and nearer to the place Link had sealed off with rubble, his torch briefly shining on the wolf's fur before disappearing once more.

''What do ye see, Rus?'' Jaggle asked and also came up to the searching smith. ''It was here, the trace is fresh. Look at those prints, this must be bigger than a simple wolf of the mountains. It went over here, then seemed to work here with its claws. But where did it go then?''

A sudden gasp from Moe behind them let everyone including Link, twitch in fright. ''Rusl! I heard a rustle in the leaves over there!''

''A what?'' the smith asked confused. ''Are you joking?''

''No! A sound like rustling of leaves!'' Moe answered, waving him towards the vines attached to the hill in the opposite direction where Link cowered. The men turned around and quickly trotted towards the farmer, who was looking in the bushes for the source of the noise. Just as Bo wanted to say that it was nothing, a loud crashing resounded at the second smashed gate leading into the woods, where a heavy looking creature escaped into the forest.

''There it is! After it!'' Moe screamed, and they all dashed forward after the beast. Link squinted to see what is was, but his nose was quicker, discerning a strong scent of boar which faded with every second.

It was only after a very long time that he stopped trembling. The extreme terror he had lived was still rooted painfully in his every bone and made him twitch in fright at the smallest sound he heard around him. His nose was still impregnated with the scent of soot and Rusl's blood, which he had seen on his father's side and head where bandages had been quickly wound around to stop the bleeding. Where he had got those wounds, he dared not imagine, but it had not been a wild animal because of the emplacements of the wounds. A charging boar or a wolf would attack the legs first of all before jumping at the throat. The throat was the weakest point in the body of a –

He whined as his thoughts went rampant. _Stop it! This is your father you're talking about! _he scolded himself and covered his nose with his paws, shaking his body vigorously. _And he's not dead, he's alive! He was not attacked by an animal, but by … _

A faint rustling in front of him drew him to alertness, instantly letting him go stiff. What was this new danger approaching him? He prepared himself for a quick jump by building up tension in his hind-legs, when suddenly a little head poked out of the pile of wood in front of him with big, round, black eyes.

_A squirrel … _he thought while rolling his eyes. _You are afraid of squirrels now. _The small creature looked at him curiously, its little nose trembling in the cool night air while it sniffed at him. Link sniffed back, and cocked his head slightly in its direction, also wearing a curious look.

At his move, the striated animal turned around halfway, still glancing at him with one eye. Its left paw was pointing at the entrance gate which was just barely visible through the rubbish in which he was hiding. Link eyed it confusedly, looking in the direction the squirrel was indicating. _Yes? Is there something? _he thought.

The rodent swung its bushy tail once before hopping off, stopping just outside and gazing at him with an asking eye. Link was still baffled; normally no animal on the menu of a wolf would be that confident in approaching him so closely, and inviting him to follow it. Yet it sat there, gazing at him with its button eyes and waiting for him to come out of his hole. He hesitated, knowing very well that the searching men were still around. But as the squirrel turned around once more and hopped down the road into the woods, he quickly broke free of the planks and tiles and dashed after it.

His new little friend guided him along the wooden path with pouncing tail, occasionally stopping and looking back to be sure he followed. While he kept a close eye on his furry guide, Link let his gaze wander around himself and noticed, with his tail hanging low, how his beloved forest was heavily damaged, boughs and branches, early flower buds and freshly growing leaves littering the soil by hundreds. He stopped momentarily as he saw a small thing lie on the ground next to a trunk, and upon approaching it he saw it was a dead bird, impaled with an arrow much too big for its size. The weapon had all but struck the tail of the poor creature, the rest had been brutally smashed to a bloody paste by the huge arrowhead.

As Link watched the slaughtered bird, completely forgetting the squirrel that had halted some distance away, squeaking at him, he felt a strange, powerful anger sweep up in him. What right did those monsters have to invade his forest and massacre its inhabitants? Why did this small fellow have to die? If they killed a bird because of the pure fun it brought them, what did they do to children? What would they do to a young girl such a Ilia? As he thought more about it, he suddenly realized that his friends were in mortal danger. He had to save them, whatever it cost him or this odd imp creature Midna. He had seen them get kidnapped, and he had failed to bring them back. With teeth clenched tightly in anger, he vowed to himself that he'd bring them back to their family, wherever they were right now, even if he had to search all of Hyrule for them.

He would never be able to live with himself if one of them ever got harmed.

As he scowled in front of himself, the furry tail of the squirrel appeared in his line of sight and let him crash down to reality once more. It beckoned him to follow, and he nodded mutely while sending a quiet prayer to Ordona for the fallen bird under the tree-trunk. And if the guardian of the forest could hear him, he also send a plead to her for his kidnapped friends, wishing they'd be kept safe by her heavenly power. Yet as he finished his prayer, he suddenly found himself right in front of the very living place of the forest guardian, Ordona's spring.

_Why did you bring me here? _he thought confused as he watched the squirrel brush its paws contently over its head and eyes, like all squirrels did when washing themselves. Yet he could not blink twice before something strange happened, right above him. The air began to vibrate slightly while a rushing sound came from right over his head, some distance away. Link looked up in confusion, and watched in horror as suddenly a blood-red light appeared above him, accompanied by black speckles that halted in the air to assemble. They formed a strange, funnel-like cone which reached high into the sky, resounding ominously with a low rumbling that reminded Link dreadfully of that black wall he was pulled into.

The squirrel let out a frightened squeak and hid behind one of his hind-legs as the cone pumped all of a sudden, seeming to work on something black in its middle which slowly expanded outwards, transforming into a pair of long, thin arms, a big head and snake-like tentacles as hair. Before Link could react, it was already falling out of its shadowy cocoon and landed with a loud splash in the glittering water.

Link's heart skipped a beat. That was the very same creature that had pulled him into that wall of blackness, which had wanted to choke him, and which surely had transformed him into a wolf in the first place. His legs began to tremble as it eyed him with its socket-less, mask-like face, before turning away and facing the spring in front of itself.

One of its claws lifted slowly, and a sudden screech resounded from the water. Link watched on, completely paralysed, how a drop collided with the water, making its glittering surface glow up with a golden fire. The Light assembled to a bulky mass as if a thousand water-drops moved together to form a body, but upon another swish from the black creature a new scream resounded from the spring, high-pitched and painful, which froze Link to his very core.

''Move, you stupid wolf! Attack it!'' a frantic voice startled him out of his stupor, and without even knowing what he was doing, he jumped as high as he could, aiming right at the monster's nape. Teeth bared to the limit, emitting a terrible roar from his beastly throat, Link crashed right into the monster, sending it tumble down on its stony face. It growled at him as it drew itself up once more, but Link was quicker. With another bellow he ran around it, crouched deep, and threw himself right at the beast's exposed throat. His enemy gurgled out sickly, thrashing its arms about and hitting Link in his already injured temple, but the moment it wrenched Link off of its neck the wolf tore the inside of its throat away while tumbling down, and with a last spasm the monster fell, tainting the holy spring-water with its black blood spurting out of its sliced neck.

Link shook his head in disgust while spitting out the fleshy lump still residing in his maw. As he looked around himself for the source of the warning that had called to him, he saw with a sigh how the small, black form of Midna hovered a little distance away, standing with arms folded under a tree while glaring at him from a distance.

As Link wanted to bark something at her, however, he was cut off by a soft, ringing voice in front of him. ''I thank you, Blue-Eyed Beast, for having saved this forest from Twilight.''

This voice was nothing he had heard before in his entire life, he didn't know if he could actually call it a voice. It was more a rustling, no singing, no chirping, or could it really be … bleating? Yet it sounded so crystal clear and soft that, when he turned around, he instantly knew why he took its voice as the call of one of his beloved goats.

For there, right in front of him, hovered a huge being, shining golden like the rising of the sun on an early summer day, yet glistening like the purest gem of silver. It bore a shape he knew all too well, with a bulky body, long ears, a huge tail and, towering on its head, a set of circular horns with the brightest orb of Light inside them that he had ever seen, like a little sun on itself.

The guardian spirit of his homeland, Ordona, in form of a golden goat, hovered mere feet in front of him.

''O brave youth, you who has been transformed by the power of shadow …'' she said, her voice humming like the wind blowing gently into Link's face. At the simple tone of her words, he felt instantly at ease, all those regrets and fears he had lived since Ordon was attacked dissipating to mere fog.

''I am one of the four Light Spirits that protect Hyrule at the behest of the Goddesses. With the power I wield, I bring life and hope to the plains and forests you call home.''

If Link could have smiled, he would have worn the happiest of all. Yet it would have faded instantly at her next words. ''But that power resides no longer with my brethren, who have been robbed of their Light by very beast you slew.'' The spirit lowered her head, and a single tear slid down her glowing eye. ''The entire kingdom has been reduced to a netherworld ruled by the cursed powers of darkness, and the blight will not stop with Hyrule. Before long, the entire world of Light will fall into the hands of the king who rules the Twilight.''

Link hung his head at her words, his tail retreating between his legs.

''However …'' As Ordona pronounced those words, Link's head jerked up once more. ''There is still hope walking my forest paths, as there will always be in a world covered with nightmares. You, brave youth, have been given a sacred power blessed by the Goddesses. While the helpless people of Hyrule wander about this darkness as groping spirits, a feral beast has awakened within you which guides you through the blackness with vision unclouded.''

_What? _Link thought confused. So this form he took on was a gift from the Goddesses? Until now it had only caused him incredible trouble, his friends didn't recognize him any more and had even attacked him while thinking he was a monster. His left temple and right thigh were still hurting badly from where their swords had hit him. How could this be a blessed gift?

Ordona lowered her head towards him and looked him directly in the eye. Strangely, Link felt as if she knew exactly what he was thinking, for she resumed her tale with an apologizing nod. ''Usually a soul transformed by the power of shadows cannot recover their original forms. Unless …'' she paused briefly while fixing Link with her glowing sockets. ''Unless you were to return to where you first awakened as the sacred Beast, and restored the Light Spirit with its lost Light. There, by the power of my revived brother, you shall find the means to regain your other state of being.''

Link's heart leaped. So there was a way to become human once more? He would at last be able to enter his native village without being taken for a monster, he would be able to depart in search of the children and bring them home to their parents once more! Oh, just the thought of feeling his own hands and trace the curves of his face was like having a wonderful dream … even his long ears would be a much welcomed feeling to witness after having thick fur coating them all over.

There was but one question still lingering in his mind which confused him deeply. _Why did I, of all the humans in Hyrule, transform into a wolf? Why did I not become a spirit like the rest of the world?_

Ordona blinked once, and he suddenly remembered that she knew what he was thinking. ''You have not yet discovered the true extend of your powers.'' she said mysteriously, cocking her head slightly. ''Go to the Light Spirit Faron, and revive his forest. Farewell, o brave youth …''

_Wait! What powers? You're mistaken, I don't have any powers! _But the light in front of him was slowly fading into the spring once more while he stood in the water, watching helplessly how the spirit disappeared before his very eyes. Last to extinguish was the precious Light orb protected by her horns, which dissipated to tiny speckles of glowing drops that made the water glisten otherworldly in the dark of night. The spring fell asleep once more, looking as if nothing had ever happened.

Sighing despondently, Link turned around, and was frightened by the black carcass of the shadow beast he had slain moments ago. It was not taking well the light seeping out of the spring and was slowly but surely dissolving like salt in boiling water. Link watched amazed how it fell apart, its body turning transparent to match the water around it perfectly. Before he realized, it was already gone.

''Well, it's like I said, at least you can follow orders.'' Midna's hovering body approached him from the side. Her tone got suddenly loud as she yelled at him. ''But you didn't listen to me and just ran off into you pathetic village _twice_ after I told you not to! Oh, wait till I have my body back, then you'll pay for that …'' she scowled, clenching her fists and turning away to pout. Link watched her confusedly, but as she gave no further comment he just shrugged – as good as a wolf could shrug, that is – and trotted away towards the path he knew would lead him to Faron Woods.

''Hey!'' came her irate shout soon. ''Where do you think you're going?''

Link turned around to her and barked, indicating the spring with a side glance. ''Oh, you want to go to Faron, right? Like that weird old goat told you to do?'' The wolf growled at her insolent description of his guardian spirit, snapping at her yet touching naught but thin air and black smoke.

''I tell you what you'll do! Since you so _masterly _ignored me all the time, you'll gonna follow my orders for a change. I saw those stupid inhabitants swing these swords around like morons, so you're gonna fetch me one of those and a shield that suits me.''

Link cocked his head in utter confusion, staring at her as if she had just lost her mind. ''What?'' she shot back. ''I'll need weapons to defend myself once we're back in the Twilight. _You _have those beastly claws and teeth but I've got naught! You already forgot that Faron is covered in shadows with monster all over the place?''

Link snorted as if laughing at her. Sure _she _would need help to survive in the wild, but she forgot one thing. He could as well go there all alone, he didn't need her, and so he absolutely didn't need to fetch her those weapons. Plus, he would have to steal from his own family, which he'd never do in a thousand years.

As Midna watched him wear his proud-of-himself expression, she suddenly looked as if she could suffocate in gloat. ''Hehe, you think you don't need me, right? I've looked through you, beast, and I'm not stupid as you maybe think I am. You know, to reach Faron you have to pass through that black barrier in order to enter the Twilight. Don't you remember how you entered the shadows before transforming into that flee-infested heap of fur?''

As she spoke, Link suddenly froze, and felt the icy shower of disappointment overcome him. Midna saw his countenance change, and giggled maliciously. ''You were pulled into it by a shadow beast, remember? You can't enter the Twilight just by walking into it. Plain talking, you need a Twili to enter Faron, someone like _me_, hehe. Oh, how I love being me!''

With a painful sting, Link realized that she was right. That shadow beast must have been there for a reason, possibly for pulling those dreadful monsters and the kidnapped children into the Twilight where they had to have a base or something to put their prisoners in. Link had had the bad luck of standing right where the beast still lingered, and which had pulled him in probably because it thought he was another monster demanding entrance. Now, he was sure it wasn't there any more since the raid had already taken place. He had no means of entering the Twilight on his own.

Growling, he glared at Midna, nodding reluctantly. The imp grinned from ear to ear while giggling childishly, suddenly disappearing right in front of his face. ''Fabulous! I'll stay in your shadow to keep an eye on you this time, and don't you dare disobeying me a third time! If I see you run in front of a human again, I will not let you enter the Twilight and you will stay a wolf for the rest of your life. Now get going! I'm waiting!''

Link realized that he had no other choice but to do as she said, and this angered him even more. Why did she always have to make fun of him and still have the upper hand? She could as well just help him out without constantly bullying him, and they would come to the same result. Apparently there was a big part of the communistic life of humans she did not understand, or which was not present in the society she came from. While he swallowed his pride and headed off towards the village once more, he let her last dialogue play again in his mind. So it was official, she had called herself a Twili which was obviously a creature from the Twilight, common sense speaking. Why indeed did she protect the light dwellers, even if rather sarcastically judging the way the had talked to Princess Zelda earlier? Was there something she was looking for? Or was she a deserter who left the forces of shadow to side with them? What reasons did she have? And what was her past story anyway? The further the questions amassed in his mind, the more he wished he possessed a proper mouth to ask them himself. But the quicker he fetched a sword and shield for his pestering companion, the quicker he would be in Faron Province to save the Light Spirit. Once the Light had been restored, he would at last be human again and would be able to return to his home-town. The children needed him, and he would not rest until he found every one of them.

He was quite reluctant to enter the village once more, but the men hunting him down had yet not returned from the forest, so he had a little more time to track down the items he needed. He was just hoping that at least someone had left their weapon in the village, otherwise Midna could yell and complain as much as she wanted, he would not have the chance to get her what she asked for.

As he halted briefly to think about which house he'd search in first, an idea suddenly flashed up in front of his eyes. The sword and shield he had been assigned to deliver to Hyrule must still be there, the defence safely stored in Jaggle's workshop, and the weapon probably in Rusl's forge, if he had not taken it himself. But he knew the sword his surrogate father always used, since it was also this skewer which had cut his temple lightly. He had not taken it then, and this realization made him immediately relax. The most difficult part was now to find them, get inside the houses with his beastly body, and somehow take them with him.

''Will you move now or not? I'm still waiting!'' came a most impatient whisper from his toes, and he was briefly scared since he had forgotten she was resting in … well, his own shadow. How strange those Twili were indeed, wearing odd crowns, possessing glowing green lines all over their bodies and turning black and slightly transparent in the light. If she wasn't such a pain in the neck, he would even think about investigating her a little more, if she ever complied to talk about it. Probably not, he thought with an inward sigh.

He decided to get the shield first since Jaggle's workshop was quite easy to reach. All he had to do was push the lock open with his muzzle, and the wooden door would swing open to reveal all the mess of a carpenter's work. He felt rather silly as he sat down as a wolf would sit, tried to tense up the muscles in his hind-legs so that he would not cant over again, then lifted his front paws into the air as he stretched the rest of his body as high as he could.

With a frustrated yelp, he toppled on his side as he lost balance, hitting a pile of wooden logs on his way down. He could barely hear a snigger come from his shadow while he straightened once more, this time leaning his upper body against the door for more halt. _Just shut up, Midna … I'm trying!_

His second attempt succeeded, and with a content huff he pushed the door open. As he trotted around the small space filled with sawdust and all sorts of utensils, Midna quickly came out and pointed at the opposite wall. ''Found it! Found it!''

Indeed, the very shield he had painted himself hung on a nail over the window, way too high up for him to reach. He cast her an annoyed look, snorting at her. ''What? Don't look at me like that, I can't get it down. Get it down yourself!''

_And how? _he thought as he watched her with an insulted look. She immediately interpreted his gaze, and clapped her black hands over her head. ''Dear me, what do I know?! Come up with something, there are plenty of long, thin, easy to carry tools around here to poke at it!''

He scanned the room quickly, and indeed there was an old broomstick standing in the corner next to the saws, which he approached and carefully took in his maw. With a few pained twitched he watched how he clumsily hit all sorts of objects hanging on the walls, which crashed down and produced an awful lot of noise. Midna was scowling at him as the stick passed through her, rolling her eyes at his unwieldiness.

With great effort, Link aligned himself so that the stick was pointing at his prey, and with a grunt he shoved the end right at the shield's edge in a hopeful attempt to knock it off the wall. His first try went wrong, instead he pushed so hard on the wall that his teeth scraped off a few splinters of the wooden stick that hurt his gums terribly as they drilled into them. His second try worked better; the shield swung a little on its nail, but still refused to come down.

''Can you hurry up a little? There's someone coming!'' Midna hissed, but his ears had already perceived the frightened call of a woman who was approaching the workshop from outside.

_Just a little to the right … _he thought feverishly as he aimed once more, this time able to knock the shield down successfully. It crashed right on top of him, making him temporarily blind to the world as he flinched back, trying to knock it off his head. The woman outside was now halting right next to the door, and he suddenly felt fear grab him once more. He just had to get this damn shield off, and he'd be able to flee without causing more harm than a good fright.

Before he knew it, his vision was suddenly clear once more, the shield literally dissolving into black speckles right in from of his eyes. He didn't think about what had just happened, instead spun around and, as fast as his legs would allow, ran out of the door once more, right passed a paling Pergie who stumbled back with a frightened cry. ''Aaahh! Help! It's here!''

_Damn it!_ he thought as he desperately tumbled over the dirt path towards Rusl's house once more. He had to get the sword quickly before the entire village was at his heels once more. The men were nowhere in sight, but behind him could already make out loud, high-pitched charge bellows from Pergie, Gertie and Kila, who he knew were perfectly capable of defending themselves as good as the men.

As he saw his parent's house appear in his line of sight, he dared a quick glance behind himself to judge where the furious women were compared to him. They were still at a quite big distance away from him, which would give him a few extra seconds to get the sword out of the forge.

''Stop! Don't come nearer!'' a sudden, feminine voice roared out right in front of him. He skidded to a halt with a growl, looking at a dangerously sharp metal point belonging to the very weapon he was desperately after. As he took a few steps back, he discovered Uli, the woman who had raised him since he was a baby, who had cared so much about him over all these years, standing fearlessly with Hyrule's gift in her tender hands in front of him, the weapon pointing at his forehead.

At the yells of the other women running towards them, he knew he didn't have much time. He had to somehow take that sword from his mother's grasp, avoiding at all costs to harm her in any way. He though quickly, ransacking his mind for how he would possibly manage that.

''Uli! Don't move!'' Pergie was screaming at the top of her lungs. This triggered the answer to Link's

desperate search. _Yes, Uli! Don't move!_

He readied himself, crouched low while aiming at a big stone that stood at perfect angle between him and his mother figure, half a metre to the left. As he heard Uli gasp at his move, he didn't think any more but let his new wolf-instincts take over, which sent him right towards the stone with a mighty jump. Everything seemed to run in slow-motion as his front paws crashed against the rock, soon followed by his hind legs that, with a perfect twist of his entire body, propelled him towards the blade from the side, his teeth snapping shut over the metal and wrenching the entire weapon out of Uli's hands with the momentum of his flight.

She gasped the moment the sword left her palms, having no chance to react at Link's swift pounce. The wolf landed back on the ground and just sent a quick, apologizing look at his mother before directing his escape at Ordon's exit. The women behind them had also halted in terror, thinking the huge wolf had intended to attack their pregnant friend as it had jumped. They were temporarily dumbstruck while Link took this as his opportunity to flee.

The three women ran over to the trembling Uli, who was holding her belly protectively while staring at the escaping wolf. ''Uli! For Nayru's Love, are you all right?''

She nodded absent-mindedly. ''It didn't hurt me, it only wanted the sword. What wolf so big wants a sword, Pergie?'' She looked at the mother-of-two with a questioning look, who only shrugged while helping the pregnant woman back into her house. ''I think it took my husband's shield as well, but I didn't see it run out with it. It must be still in the workshop then.''

''I hope so.'' Kila said while following them, holding her sickle in both hands. ''If more of those creatures come in here, we'll need every weapon and defence we can get.''

0

''Well well, you can be even useful when you're concentrating, hehe!'' Midna giggled as soon as they found themselves in the shelter of the forest. ''Come on, give me that thing and let's be away.''

Link was still holding the sword in his maw and was now carefully deposing it on the ground. He had been more than lucky to not cut his gums and tongue with the blade, or loosing it while landing on his feet. The moment he let go of the skewer Midna snapped her fingers once, and the imposing sword fragmented into tiny speckles of black which disappeared into the night. He stared at the place where his prize had lain, then shot a deadly glance at the Twili standing contently beside him. _Great! You destroyed it!_

But she just turned around and flew up into the dark where her black body was barely visible, waving at him to follow. He growled but didn't complain otherwise; she was a weird character full of mysteries, so only Din knew what she had done with the sword and shield. He didn't need them anyway, so she was the one having the trouble.

It took the two companions not long to reach the ominous black wall towering at the junction to the Southern Road, and the moment it loomed into view, Link's tail immediately betrayed his fear by tucking itself between his legs. He shot the appendage a dark look and grunted crossly; he was slowly getting tired of this useless thing trailing behind him and telling the entire world how he was feeling right now. He had always been a master at hiding his feelings, but with this new addition to his body that feat had become incredibly difficult.

''So, you know what this is, right?'' She pursed her lips as if to whistle, took Link's lower jaw into a tight grip while coming very near to his face, and altered her voice into that of a mother playing with her cute baby. ''Of course you know, my ferocious little beast, no need to explain. Now you be a good little wolf and – '' Suddenly her voice became stern again. '' – don't move.''

She released a very shocked looking Link, grinned at him mischievously and flew right towards the vibrating wall of shadow. Her body flew directly into the new realm as if entering a body of water; it even made a slight splashing sound the moment she disappeared. Link didn't move as she had said, but regretted it a second later. From behind the curtain of Twilight a huge, orange hand suddenly shot out of the fog, scooping him up violently and pulling him with itself. He felt the foreign feeling of the air bombarding and pressing on him from all sides, and was thus informed that he was …

''Back in the Twilight at last!'' Midna called out, making him huff out in pain the moment she landed on his back. _Oh no, you don't want to ride on me again, now do you? _Link thought grimly while glaring at her angrily. But the Twili was gleefully stretching out on his back, flicking her freshly formed, black and green glowing fingers happily, before suddenly smacking them in a tight fist right on top of Link's head. He wailed out in pain and kicked back, but she only needed to pull on his ear to paralyse him. ''That's for disobeying me, slave! And that – '' She banged on him a second time. '' – is for disobeying me twice!''

Link looked at her completely baffled, making her fold her arms crossly. ''I told you you'd get paid. And normally I'm keeping my word.''

While Link shook his head to recover from her surprisingly tough blows – being such a small creature – she snapped her fingers to make the two weapons she had just destroyed reform in her hands. They fell with a painful crash on his already sore back, directly where Gertie's hard broom had hit him, and tumbled to the ground uselessly. ''Oh, they're heavier than I thought.'' Midna said disappointedly, growling while she fragmented them once more. ''Well, I guess I will have to defend myself on my own then, right?''

_What?_ Link thought, the anger rising in him more and more. _I nearly harmed Uli and got caught by Pergie for nothing? _Now he was definitely getting filled up with her patronizing and commanding manner! This destroying and then rebuilding feat would also have made his struggles a whole lot easier, for example to get that shield down, if she just helped him once instead of making fun of him all the time. How would she feel if she was suddenly transformed into a scary, huge monster and no one recognized her any more? What would she do if she was cast out of her home-town that had been the centre of her life for as long as she could think? And to be attacked by the ones she loved most? She didn't understand a damn thing!

At least now he had the means to find his true form again. He was standing on the edge of the Southern Road leading into Faron, and it would only be a matter of hours until he reached the spring. Observing his body thoughtfully, looking at his strong legs, he realized that, since he could now use his body with all its advantages, maybe he would even be a lot quicker if he just ran all the way …

''Woah!'' Midna yelled the moment he bolted off, clinging to his fur like mad. He didn't mind the slight pain issuing from her tight grip, but instead focused on the sheer might his legs had held captive the entire time, and which he was releasing now by squeezing his eyes into thin slits while dashing along the road as fast as he could. The night wind howled around his ears and flapped at his tongue which he let dangling out of his maw while feeling his legs heat up. The forest around them was now just a swirling mass of dark green, swishing past him and his incredible speed. Had he been human, he'd have howled in excitement and joy. He had never run that fast in his entire life! And it was an incredible feeling, as if his legs would carry him to the end of the world and beyond.

But the sweetest pleasure was the one he would even swap for the quad of powerful legs he was possessing now; every time he lost a little speed and made a jump to regain it, Midna gave a frightened hiccup while clinging desperately to his fur. By the Goddesses, what would he have given to see the look she was wearing.

The gloat in his eyes had never been that deserved!

000


End file.
